


Daniel and Jonah

by Snarksnboojums



Category: Original Work
Genre: Autism, Canon Autistic Character, Consensual relations of adults in future chapters (Daniel and Jonah), Consensual spanking of an adult in later chapters., Domestic Discipline, Falling In Love, Kindness, M/M, Understanding, patience - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2021-04-12
Packaged: 2021-04-22 02:07:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 112,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22135936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snarksnboojums/pseuds/Snarksnboojums
Summary: Jonah sees a work of art and is not put off by its flaws.
Relationships: Daniel Johnson and Jonah MacIntyre
Comments: 22
Kudos: 29





	1. A Work of Art

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tail_of_Dark_fire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tail_of_Dark_fire/gifts), [Sandycastle and Sparky](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Sandycastle+and+Sparky).

> Thank you as always to Sandycastle and Sparky, as well as PJ. You know what you did.
> 
> Constructive criticism is always appreciated, though flames will be extinguished.  
All characters are original. Any similarity to any other characters or people (except 'Daniel'),  
alive or dead is completely coincidental.
> 
> All Daniel and Jonah stories are copyrighted as of 2-10-2015. IF anyone wants to use any part of this story, please contact me first, and be sure to credit me with the section borrowed.
> 
> Thank you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Sandycastle and Sparky, PJ!

Written for my own Daniel, who is looking for his Jonah.  
Happy New Year, Daniel!

Daniel and Jonah  
OCs by Snarks

Chapter 1

He began coming in a few months ago, just as February was tiring and on its way out. I would see him once or twice a day, three or four days a week. If he was working mornings he would come into the shop first thing, order a hot chocolate and sometimes a donut or a breakfast sandwich, returning on occasion for lunch, or once more before he headed home after work... if he got out before six in the evening, which is when I'd close for the night. 

I found myself thinking about him on the days he wasn't there and had a hard time keeping my eyes off of him when he was. I know I sound like a stalker but honestly, I'm not. He's just that sweet-faced and polite.

I'd tried many times to engage him in small talk but learned that he was a very shy man, something I found unusual and quite attractive. It's odd, in this world, to find someone like him. Someone who isn't full of themselves, entitled, spoiled. I'd asked him his name a few times, but he would avoid eye contact, pay for his order, reply with a quiet "Thank you," and then go to sit in his usual spot.

He'd sit in the most isolated corner of my shop, which is a combination cafe and used bookstore, nibble on his sandwich, sip his drink and read, seemingly oblivious to everything and everyone around him. Some of the younger patrons, who for some reason took exception to his quiet, began to make snide remarks as he passed, or would outright shoot an insult at him, but he never reacted or seemed to notice them. One day a couple of the more spoiled millennials walked up to him and began to harass him only to be met with silence.

One of the young men looked over his shoulder and asked, "What're you reading? Shakespeare! You know you're not impressing anyone, pretending to read that," he jibed as he grabbed the book out of the quiet young man's hands. The other 'accidentally' tipped his drink over while they taunted him.

The Quiet Man, as I'd dubbed him for lack of a better name, thought quickly and grabbed napkins to keep the cocoa from spilling onto his pants. I could see his face growing pink but otherwise didn't react to the ill-treatment.

The first antagonist tossed the book back onto the still slightly wet table and was about to say something else, but I'd had more than enough by then and I intervened, striding quickly over to the table.

"Leave him alone!" I ordered, gently picking up the book and using my apron to dry it before it could be stained, "He's not bothering anyone."

One of the millennials laughed at me and replied in a snide tone, "You're just here to pour the coffee, go back where you belong."

"I own this store, kid," I replied dangerously, "and I have the right to refuse service or admittance. I'd like to advise the two of you that you're not welcome here anymore. If you continue to bother this man in any way or dare to come in here again, I will report you to the police for harassment and trespassing. If you think I'm blowing smoke up your butts, just try me."

I hadn't raised my voice, but the tone had the attention of the two troublemakers, as well as many of the nearby patrons who had interrupted their own conversations to gawk and listen to what was going on. I was a little angry with them as well since they had heard and seen what was happening and hadn't done anything to stop it.

The first kid, the one who had knocked the book out of Quiet Man's hands, tried to rally. "You can't do anything to us. If you try to kick us out we'll take everyone here with us and spread the word about what a shit hole this place is. You'll be out of business in a week," he said haughtily.

"Leave, please. Now." I replied in a level tone.

"Hear this?" shouted the other young punk to the crowd in general, "We're getting kicked out of here for trying to talk to this guy. Since when is just trying to talk to someone considered harassment? And this guy here, the owner," he continued, slurring the word, "is kicking us out. Permanently, according to him. If anyone else here thinks he's being an unfair jerk, come on with us. There are other places we can go that are a lot better."

The gawkers remained silent for a few seconds before turning back to their friends and continuing their conversations in hushed tones, some throwing the two troublemakers the occasional look, some glancing with curiosity at the man at the center of the confrontation who seemed to have curled into himself somewhat. Throughout the entire thing, he'd remained silent.

The two young guys gaped in astonishment when no one joined them, ignored them in fact, including the friends they'd been with, some of whom blushed in embarrassment or hid their faces. The two offenders faces turning a bright red with either anger or embarrassment, or both, grabbed their things, gave me a dirty look, and stormed out. I would go through the security recordings later and take stills of their faces so that my employees would know who they were if they had the nerve to come back in.

I turned and gently placed the book back on the now cleaned and dry table. "I'm really sorry about that," I apologized, "it won't happen again, I promise. Can I get you another drink? It'll be on the house."

"No thank you." 

The man's voice was so quiet I barely heard it, but he did straighten up as he gathered his backpack and jacket and prepared to leave.

"I hope you'll come back," I said softly.

The young man very briefly turned grey-blue eyes on me. With a wooden expression and another quiet 'Thank you,' he left the store. I watched him through the windows to make sure the troublemakers were gone before going back to work. I called my friend Paul on the police force and informed him as to what had transpired and he happily took a report.

"Fax me those pictures, ok, Jonah?"

"You got it, Paulie. Thanks," I grinned.

"Don't call me Paulie," he replied in a long-suffering tone. It had been a little game between the two of us since we were kids, and silly as it was neither of us ever seemed to tire of it.

Well, I sure didn't.


	2. Daniel and Jonah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brave Heart

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 2

It was a few more days before I saw him again. I worried at first that he would never return because of what had happened to him, but on the fourth day after the incident, he was back again which made me feel incredibly happy for some reason.

I smiled at him as he approached the counter. "Good morning," I greeted cheerfully, "nice to see you again. The usual?"

Quiet Man nodded his head, still avoiding eye contact, but there was a small smile on his well-shaped lips. I wanted to see more of that smile.

After he'd sat down and opened his book, I watched him as subtly as I could, studying him as I would have studied a piece of fine art. His hair was short, and dirty blonde, and quite curly. His eyes grey-blue and sported long, light brown lashes. He had the tiniest scruff of a beard and mustache that only just showed on his fair skin. He carried a few extra pounds but that in no way detracted from what a good-looking guy he was. He had somewhat of a babyface so it was rather difficult to pinpoint how old he was, but I was sure he was over eighteen. I noticed that after each bite of his breakfast sandwich he'd wipe his hands thoroughly on a napkin before touching the pages of his book which I found admirable, being a bookworm as well. 

This went on for a couple of weeks, always the handy book, most of which he bought from my store, and the quiet, monotone 'Thank you.' Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and I approached him carefully, placing another medium cup of cocoa in front of him.

He looked up, surprised, saw me smiling at him and quickly trained his eyes on the cup I'd just put in front of him. "Thank you," he said, his voice once more barely audible.

"I want to apologize if I'm wrong," I said quietly, "but I'd really like to take you out for dinner this weekend if you're available that is."

Grey-blue eyes once again shifted toward me and then away, but no smile this time.

"Please?" I asked, putting on my best puppy dog eyes.

I thought I caught the hint of a smile but if it had actually been there, it was quickly quenched.

"You wouldn't want to go out with me," he replied, ever so quietly in his oddly monotone voice.

"I do, if you're willing," I said, just as quietly, "it's up to you of course. I think we might have a good time. Dinner? Maybe a movie? Or just a quiet walk around the park?"

I could see him considering it. Either that or he was looking for a polite way to turn me down. I held my breath as I waited for his answer. Finally, he glanced up at me, that tiny smile playing along his full lips, "Ok," he replied in a near whisper, "I work til five thirty on Friday."

I released the breath I'd been holding and grinned, it was Wednesday now, so it wouldn't be as long a wait as I'd feared. "Can I pick you up?"

He looked slightly panicked when he heard that question and I backtracked as quickly and as casually as I could.

"Or, we could meet somewhere," I said, "You pick the place. Just tell me where and what time is good for you."

"Ok," he said finally, hesitantly, "the restaurant in the plaza on Mason Street? Six-thirty?" He glanced at me impassively, but I could tell that he fully expected me to ditch him.

"I'll be there," I replied softly. "I promise."

He glanced at his wristwatch and checked the time before answering, "Ok, I have to go to work now."

"Hey," I asked quietly, "won't you tell me your name first?" 

He looked a bit startled but answered, "My name is Daniel, Jonah."

It was my turn to look startled, "How..."

He grinned uncertainly, but to me, it was a beautiful sight, and briefly glanced at me from beneath his lashes, "Your name tag."

With that he stood, slid into his jacket, and left, holding his book tightly to his chest, almost running away from the store. I wondered myself whether he would be too shy to show up on Friday night. I could only hope that he would. This quiet man, Daniel, was intriguing, and I wanted to get to know him much better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Obnoxious Millennials' are referred to here.
> 
> I KNOW that all are not alike. Even identical twins have different fingerprints. These are based loosely on a couple that I was in the same cafe with. However, I left and didn't see what actually happened, so the rest is conjecture... call it writer's viewpoint... artistic license as it were. 
> 
> So please, people who are Millenials, (Daniel and Jonah are millennials as well), don't get (too) angry, please. It's only part of the story.


	3. Daniel and Jonah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trepidation and Terrible Puns

Daniel and Jonah

I didn't see him on Thursday, perhaps it was his day off, at least I hoped that's all it was. The thought that he could be avoiding me crossed my mind but I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Friday night came along and I was looking forward to seeing, and learning more about him, at least whatever he was willing to talk about, which if he stayed true to form, wouldn't be much. I had to laugh at the situation. Usually, I found men who only wanted to talk, mostly about themselves. Getting Daniel to speak was going to be a challenge, but one I felt more than up to.

In anticipation of our first meeting, I hesitated to refer to it as a date, even to myself, I closed the store early, arrived at six fifteen and sat down at a booth where he couldn't help but see me as soon as he walked in. The following fifteen minutes seemed to drag, and the longer it dragged, the more I worried that he wouldn't come after all. But at six-thirty on the dot, the door opened and in walked my Daniel. He tried to hide it, but I could have sworn I could see something like relief in his eyes, however brief it was as he saw me and made his way to the booth, his steps somewhat awkward and stilted. 

"Hullo," he said shyly.

"I'm glad you were able to make it." I smiled. His cheeks were rosy from the cold. It was early March now, nights were still cold and we were still getting snow now and again. It was starting to flurry even as he sat down. New England weather is unpredictable at best, even for the experts. He'd apparently unzipped his jacket before coming in so I suggested that he take it off and hang it with mine. After he did that he sat down across from me, looking down at the formica table top.

"Me too. You," he replied, somewhat woodenly. I chalked it up to nerves, but then as I thought back over the months I'd been waiting on him, I'd never seen him really smile, or react to just about anything. Other than the occasional brief half-smile he'd sent my way now and again the last time we'd spoken, I'd never seen any expression on his face at all. I wondered if it was a defense mechanism, but then I figured if, given the chance, I'd get to know all about him eventually.

I handed him one of the menus that had been given to me by the waitress when I'd arrived and began to look through my own, even though I had pretty much decided on what I was going to have. I didn't want to let him know how long I'd actually been there.

A waitress promptly came to the table and asked if we'd like drinks while we looked at the menu and we both ordered sodas.

I wasn't aware that I was doing it until Daniel looked up and me and asked, "Why do you keep staring at me?" He held eye contact for longer than he ever had before, and I could swear I saw a bit of fear and distrust in those beautiful eyes.

Smiling as gently as I could I replied, "I'm just happy that we're here together. I'm really looking forward to getting to know you better."

His gaze dropped to the menu once more but I could tell he wasn't really looking at it. His tension was like a solid thing and I spoke again to try to put him at ease, "Is there anything you want to know about me, Dan? I'm an open book," I smiled.

His shoulders seemed to relax somewhat but he still seemed anxious to me. At least he was actually turning the pages of the menu, taking his time as he looked at what the restaurant had to offer. We made our decisions and the waitress, who had obviously been keeping an eye open, walked over and took our orders. 

When she left I continued to talk to Daniel, telling him a little about myself in the hopes that he'd open up to me a bit more. He nodded politely as he listened and began to make more, though still brief, eye contact.

Our meals arrived and we began to eat. Between mouthfuls I continued to talk to him, trying to entertain him with stories from when I'd been younger.

"So my mother said, 'Just shut your mouth and eat it!' and my brother shut his mouth uptight and then pointed to his mouth, then the fork, then at mom, and made mumbling sounds. She got this look on her face, I don't know if she was mad or trying not to laugh or what. Finally, she says, 'Ok, smartass, you made your point. Let me put it this way then,' she goes, 'open your mouth to eat and keep it closed the rest of the time.' So, of course, my brother starts making all these noises while he's eating with his mouth closed. It wasn't until dad gave him a smack upside the back of his head that he cut it out, but we were all laughing by then. What's your family like?" I asked finally as he concentrated on eating his burger. There was enough of a pause that I wondered if he'd been listening to me after all.

"They're alright enough, I guess," he finally replied. "My mother can be pretty funny sometimes too," he added, the smile returning somewhat, "There was one time when my sister kept wrinkling her nose and refusing to eat dinner until mom told her what it was exactly, so mom said, 'Baby caca on toast. Now eat!' My sister let out a screech and ran away from the table. Now that was funny."

"Hey," Daniel said before I could come up with an answer to that. It sort of freaked me out that a mother would say that to her kids. "What do you call a fake noodle?"

I frowned in confusion, "A fake noodle? I have no idea."

"It's called an IMpasta."

It took me a moment to realize that he'd actually told a joke and I laughed with pleasure. "Let me try one... what do you call a pig that does karate?"

Dan, keeping his gaze on the top of the table, concentrated for a moment and then with a barely perceptible grin replied, "A pork chop!"

"Dang! Well, that one was too easy, how about... hmmm, let me think... ok, here's one, do you like to read?"

Daniel blinked in surprise, he always had a book with him so I knew that he found the question strange. "Well, yes..." he answered hesitantly, giving me a dubious look.

"I've been reading a book about anti-gravity. It's really hard to put down."

It took Daniel several moments to get the joke. Finally, he said, "I get it. Anti-gravity. I like that one," he said with a chuckle.

I'd never heard him laugh before, and I'd never heard anything quite like it. It was unusual and yet it was also strangely infectious and I began to laugh with him.

"My friend thought he was so smart... he said that only onions make you cry. So I threw a coconut at his head," he grinned.

That stopped me dead in my tracks. "Did... I mean... Daniel... that's... was he hurt badly?" I asked, stunned.

Daniel's face went red then back to pale so quickly I thought for sure he'd pass out. He trained his eyes on the tabletop his shoulders rose as though he were afraid of something. He pushed his food away, and his hands disappeared beneath it but I could tell that he was wringing them.

"I- I- I didn't... I mean... i-i-it's a j-joke... I just th-th-thought it was funny... I... I'm sorry..." he stammered as he began to stand up. When he put his hands on the table I could see I'd been right. His hands were red from the force he'd been using.

I put one of my hands on his and attempted to pull him back down gently. He refused to look at me and tried to pull away once again.

"Dan..."

"That's... that's why... one of the r-reasons... why... I-I-I knew you w-wouldn't like g-g-g-going out with me," he said quietly, "I'll just go now... ummm..." he hesitated as he reached into his pocket for his wallet and took out a twenty. "I d-d-don't know how... how m-m-much my share is but I'm pretty s-s-sure this s-s-should..."

"Dan, calm down, hon," I said softly, "it's alright, I... it just took me off guard for a moment. I didn't know whether you were serious or not and... I'm sorry, hon. I should have known you'd never do anything like that. I know you'd never do anything like that. I know you don't have a mean bone in your body. Please... don't go."

"It's p-p-probably for the b-best that I do." he replied in a low voice, looking as though he were about to cry. "I knew t-t-this was a b-bad i-i-idea."

"Daniel," I said a bit more sharply than I'd intended, "just sit down and talk to me, alright? Please," I urged more gently.

His body gave an almost imperceptible twitch at the tone of my voice, I'm pretty sure I'd shocked him by raising my voice to him even though it had only been a little. He looked at me uncertainly for a moment. I'm not sure what he saw but he slowly sat back down though he wouldn't look me in the eyes again, and he'd gone back to being completely silent.

"Please talk to me?" I asked quietly. "I don't judge people, Dan," I reassured him, "and I'm here for you if you need me... hell, I'm even here if you don't need me," I tried to joke to lighten the mood.

I'd nearly given up hope that I could get through that barrier that he'd created, it was again several minutes before he chose to speak again, and what he said surprised me.

"Want to hear two short jokes and one long joke?" he asked, finally, still staring at the tabletop.

"Sure," I replied as though we'd been having this conversation the entire time.

"Joke. Joke. Jjjjjjoooooooooooke!"

It took me by surprise and I couldn't help but laugh. It was just one of those jokes that's so bad it's actually funny. "That's great, Dan. You have a great sense of humor."

The little smile that had appeared on his face at my laughter, disappeared. "No. I don't." he replied quietly, "I'm... a weirdo. Strange. I have a sick sense of humor," he continued in that oddly monotonous voice, and still with no expression on his face that I could see. From the tone of his voice, I could tell that it wasn't self-pity, simply a statement of facts as he saw them. "My whole family is the same way," he paused for a moment and then added thoughtfully, "except for my sister. She has no sense of humor at all."

I found that statement to be amusing but was afraid to laugh at this point. "So you came by your sense of humor honestly," I smiled, "I've always been told that I have my father's sense of humor... and my mother's nose."

Dan glanced up quickly to look at my nose before looking back down immediately.

"Yep," I continued, "and she's still mad at me to this day for not giving it back to her."

At first, he frowned, seeming confused as he looked once again at my nose. 

"Was it plastic surgery? Did you lose your nose in an accident and she gave you hers?" he asked innocently.

"It's just a joke, hon. I meant that I inherited the shape of her nose, not that I actually had it on me, understand?" I smiled gently so that he would know that I wasn't making fun of him, but I did wonder how he could be so literal about a thing like that. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that you have your... I don't know, father's eyes and..." I looked at his features, "your mother's lips? Or the shape of her face or... understand?" I asked gently.

"What's a faceor?" he asked, confused.

I wondered at first whether he was pulling my leg, but then I realized that he truly didn't understand what I'd said, "That was my fault, Daniel, I let my sentence trail off. What I meant was, has anyone said that you had the shape of your mother's face or some other feature?"

"Oh," he said in understanding. "People tell me I look just like my grandfather, on my father's side."

Quietly I replied, "Then your grandfather on your father's side must be a very good-looking man."

Though it was obvious to me that he was trying to keep it in check, a small smile played about those full lips that I hoped one day to kiss. "He was. He had some political views that drove my mother up the wall," he said quietly, still smiling as he reviewed the memory, "she hates politics and never talks about them, but once she got so mad at grandpa that... well, it's a long story," he chuckled.

"Come on, Dan," I encouraged with a smile of my own, "tell me a little bit about yourself. You've hardly said a word about yourself since we sat down."

He blushed again at the memory of what he had said, so I continued quickly, "What's your favorite color? It might be cliche but I really like blue, pretty much every shade of blue I've ever seen. So how about you?"

"Green." he said quietly, "I always dream of having a home far out in the woods somewhere, far away from people, and being surrounded with lots of trees and grass."

He took a breath as though he were going to say something else but let it out and closed his mouth once again except to take another bite of his burger and a few fries.

"That's a really nice dream," I agreed, "the way you describe it, it sounds like a really romantic spot."

Dan shrugged slightly, "I have to get a better job though," he said in his quiet, almost monotone voice, "I don't think I'll ever be able to live like that on a bagger's pay."

"Now, there, see?" I responded, pleased, "I never knew what your job was. Which store do you work at?"

He mumbled the answer so that I could just barely hear him and he blushed again, before taking another bite of his burger. I was pleased to know that he didn't work far from my store, even if it was a good half-hour drive at night.

"It's an honest job for honest pay, Dan, and I bet you're great at it," I encouraged.

He only shrugged and continued to nibble at his dinner. 

"How about your favorite holiday? Christmas, for me, is in the top three, but I really love Halloween. I love to get dressed up and bring my nieces and nephews out, or even to just stay home and hand out candy," I replied, having another bite of my now somewhat cool steak and potatoes. 

I could see Dan perk up and smile. He looked at me a little more bravely than he had til now, and replied, "I love Halloween. It's my favorite too. It's the one time of year where I can just be... invisible. Behind my masks, no one knows who I am, and I can just have fun. I love to get dressed up and go out. I bring my little brother out, and when he's done trick or treating, I usually go to my friend's house. He always does up his porch. My friend, I mean. I think he buys every light and decoration in town," he joked. I had to admit that I was pleased to hear more inflection in his voice and to see more animation in his features.

I laughed at that image and admitted that I had a tendency to go a little overboard myself.

"My favorites are skeletons," he said, "then my mother and little brother pose some of them."

"How do you feel about ghosts?"

"I love them!" he replied, looking up at me and favoring me with a real smile, "But I can't always afford the decorations I want. I usually get a bunch of stuff from the dollar store. I especially like the Grim Reaper. I've always found him fascinating."

Our conversation continued in this relaxed, friendly way as we finished our dinners. I found myself doing most of the talking, but when he did speak, I felt like a sponge, soaking in every word, watching his expressions as he became comfortable enough to reveal little things about himself, all of which I found fascinating.

I wanted to holler at the waitress who came over at that point and asked if we would like dessert, interrupting our conversation. I felt that I had made some headway with Daniel and was afraid to lose that momentum. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly to stop myself from telling her to just go away and we'd call her when we were ready. After all, she was only doing her job, and no one deserved the abuse. Swallowing back my irrational first reaction, I smiled at her and chose a strawberry shortcake sundae and a black coffee.

"Do you have pecan pie? Or cheesecake?" Dan asked, hazarding a glance at the woman.

"We have both," the waitress replied cheerfully, "you can get the cheesecake plain, with chocolate, strawberries, or cherries."

"Cherries please," he requested quietly.

"Coffee?" 

Daniel wrinkled his nose in a way I found absolutely charming, "No coffee for me," he said with distaste, "I'll have..." he hesitated, looking at the dessert menu again, "I'd like a strawberry milkshake, please."

"Coming up," the waitress replied as she cleared our table, and turned smartly to fill our order.

"Darn!" I said with a grin, "I wish I'd thought of cheesecake."

Without thinking, Dan replied, "Do you want mine?"

I was surprised at his generosity, "That's ok, Dan, I'll be perfectly happy with my sundae. I can always get cheesecake the next time we go out."

I became a little nervous when he remained silent, "We... we are going to go out again, aren't we, Dan? I'd really love to see you again."

"You don't have to..." he began, his gaze once again studying the tabletop.

"If you're suggesting that I'm just asking you to go out with me again just to be polite I'll swat you one," I leaned down to where he could see me and grinned, to let him know I was only joking, "I really would like a second date with you. Please?"

He sat quietly for several moments, thinking hard about my question before he answered quietly, "If you get to know me, you might not like me..."

Before he could finish his sentence, I cut in, "I already like you, Daniel. A lot. Will you give me a chance?"

Before he could answer, the waitress arrived with our desserts and drinks. With another wide smile and a friendly request to call her if we needed anything else at all, she left us to our conversation.

At first he was completely silent, staring down at the table as though it were an especially interesting book. Finally, taking a deep breath and folding his hands together on the table, he said softly, "I want to tell you right off before we go any further. I'm autistic. I don't get people most of the time, and from what I've seen I don't want to. It's caused a lot of problems over the years. Things I'm not... proud of. I have a lot of... issues, my mother calls them. Would you still be willing to date me, knowing that? I'll understand if you don't," he added, all of his previous animation gone, and the nearly monotone voice back in force as his features once again lost all expression.

Suddenly everything became clear to me, and a weight lifted off of my chest that I hadn't known was there before. I had heard a little bit about autism and vowed to myself that I would learn more now. I looked at him and said, "Dan, everyone has problems of one kind or another throughout their lives. You have. I have. So has everyone else that I know. I can't possibly hold your past against you. As far as your autism, it's only a part of you are, it's not who you are. Do you know what I mean? I think it's just a part of what has helped you become, in my opinion, a very kind, considerate person. Knowing this, and knowing that there is a lot more to learn about the man named Daniel whom I've come to be so fond of, yes, I'd like to go out with you again. Do... would you like to go out with me on a second date? Soon?"

He seemed uncertain, still not sure that I would stay with him for long. I could only imagine that his past relationships, if any, had not gone well, and I silently cursed anyone who had rejected or hurt this man who already meant so much to me.

"Let's have our dessert, Dan, whadda ya say," I smiled. "It'll give you some time to think, alright?"

"Okay," he replied softly. He pulled the cheesecake toward him and began to eat it slowly. I tried not to smile as I noticed him picking up the pace, making sounds of pleasure as he took bite after bite until the cake was gone, after which he started on his milkshake.

"My Nonnie used to make the best cheesecake," he commented out of the blue, "I like this one here, but it's just not nonnie's," there was a little more animation to his voice, and slightly more variation in his tone as he spoke and I found myself hanging on every word.

I knew that he was trying to shift attention away from himself, personally, and yet tell me something of himself at the same time.

"So your nonnie was a great cook then," I said, picking up the thread of the conversation, hoping that I'd learn more about him.

"Yep, she made the best cheesecake, and she'd make homemade manicotti and sauce, and special bread for Easter. She'd make a loaf of it for everyone to take home," he paused for a moment here and then continued, "my grandma is a wonderful cook too. She makes really great banana bread, and her sauce is spicy and delicious. Do you know she puts pepperoni in her sauce?" he asked, glancing up at me with a pleased expression, "My mother said that she was floored the first time she ever ate at Grandma's house when her and dad were still dating. She said she'd never tasted anything like it, and grandma sometimes makes too much and brings us a batch. It doesn't last long. My mother says we're like locusts."

One grandmother passed away if I was reading him right, and one grandmother alive. Nothing yet about grandfathers other than that quick comment earlier, so I didn't ask the questions that were at the tip of my tongue. Honestly, I was more distracted by the pleasure he showed when he spoke of his grandmothers.

His obvious emotions were at such odds with his usual quiet, reserved demeanor, and the usual flat tone I'd become accustomed to, and it was clear by the softening of his features and the dreamy expression in his eyes that he loved them very much.

"So your mother must cook like your nonnie?" I asked curiously.

Dan shrugged, "I guess when she wants to. She's always saying she's not the cook nonnie was, but dad says she does fine when she's not worried about it. And he's always saying that mom's not happy unless she's worried about something," he chuckled. 

Oh, how I wanted to hear more of that laughter!

He finished the last of his milkshake, not slurping it, deliberately I think. If he'd been alone I'm sure he would have.

"So, why don't we head out?" I asked as I picked up the check. I left the twenty on the table to see if he'd pick it back up.

"We have to pay first," he said finally, taking out another twenty-dollar bill, trying to hand it to me. He blushed a little when I told him to put it back in his wallet. "No, that's ok," he replied tonelessly, "I'd rather pay for myself."

"How about if I pay the bill and you leave the tip?" I tried to compromise.

Seeing no problem with that, Dan put the twenty on the table with the other one which he seemed to have completely forgotten about and walked away. I knew a lot of people who tipped well for good service, which we'd received, but a forty-dollar tip was too much for a fifty-seven dollar tab. As I followed him, I wondered if I'd be doing the right thing by saying anything about it. Just as I was about to speak, the waitress ran up to us.

"I'm so glad I caught you! You accidentally left this on the table!" she said, somewhat breathlessly as she held out the cash.

"It wasn't an accident. It's for you," Daniel said quietly, his face once again expressionless.

"Sir, I... I really do appreciate it but this is just way too much," the waitress blushed, she didn't like to offend anyone but she felt that she couldn't, in all honesty, accept such a large tip.

Dan's neck and ears went pink. "It's for you," he repeated before turning and walking toward the door, making no attempt to take the bills back. He seemed to be a little angry for some reason. The waitress gave me a worried look and I smiled at her. "Don't worry about it, miss, he just likes to show his appreciation for good service, you deserve every penny of that," I reassured her, "you have a good night now."

Resisting the urge to pat the befuddled woman on the shoulder in reassurance, I ran outside and caught up with my Daniel, calling to him to slow down.

He stopped, his gaze on the asphalt, his shoulders tense.

"Dan, it's not that big a deal, ok?" I tried to reassure him as well, "Waiters and waitresses don't make much. You did a really nice thing there. Once she gets over the shock of it she'll be blessing you all night."

With that, he glanced up at me and asked quietly, "They don't make much? They seemed to have a pretty large menu," he replied thoughtfully.

"I mean, they don't make much per hour, in wages," I explained, "so they depend on tips to make up their income.

He asked with a concerned frown, "Why don't they make much? Isn't there a minimum wage? Do you really think I did a good thing?" he asked in one breath, then, very quietly, almost too quietly for me to hear he said, "I could use some blessings."

"I know for a fact, but, uh, maybe next time you leave a tip we'll calculate what a good one is and leave that much, ok?" In an attempt to change the subject, I grinned and said, "So, c'mon, I'll walk you to your car. Zip up your jacket, hon," I added, "it's cold out here."

"I don't drive," he replied, simply, "and I like the cold. It doesn't bother me."

"You should still zip up, Dan," I said worriedly, "it's snowing and you're going to be covered in it in a minute."

"I like the cold," he repeated as he continued to walk away.

"Did you take a cab? A bus?" I asked, looking for the nearest bus stop, thinking I'd wait with him until the next one if he was uncomfortable taking a ride from me. I still worried that he wouldn't zip his jacket up.

"I walk."

My eyebrows rose as I thought about the location of the store he worked for and where we'd just come from and I realized he'd spent at least a good 20 minutes walking just to get to the restaurant.

"Dan..." I began to say, somewhat aghast.

"I like to walk. It's good exercise. It's not crowded and noisy like a bus and I don't have to worry about the taxi drivers padding the fare."

"Where do you live, Dan, if I can ask," I inquired worriedly.

"Off of Greywren street," he replied, vaguely and somewhat evasively I thought.

I thought about the layout of the city for a moment and then realized that he'd walked away from his home to get here and would have to double back which would take him over an hour, close to two perhaps. If I estimated correctly, he wouldn't be getting home until a little before nine o'clock PM.

"Come on, Dan, I'm driving you home," I said.

"I like to walk," he replied in that nearly toneless voice that I finally understood that he reverted to when he was nervous, "it won't take that long."

I could hear him whispering to himself, the last words he'd spoken, over and over again as he continued to walk away. I thought that perhaps he was trying to convince himself, more than me.

"Daniel," I said more sternly, "It's dark, it's cold and getting colder the longer we stand here and talk. You are not walking when I can easily give you a ride and get you there safe and warm. No arguments," I told him in a no-nonsense tone.

Although his expression didn't change much, I could imagine the thoughts warring in his brain. He only knew me from the store, but he did know me. We'd had dinner and he'd told me what might be the worst about himself, and yet I'd stayed. It was clear to me that this was not a man who trusted easily and I would have to take things slowly, but on this matter I was adamant.

"I'm driving you home, Daniel," I repeated firmly, "now let's get going."

As though a switch had turned on, his demeanor changed and he seemed much calmer, much less rigid.

"Ok," he replied quietly. We got into the car and he directed me. As I'd expected, it was a relatively short drive, but it was mostly uphill and I was glad he'd allowed me to drive him home. According to my dashboard thermostat, the temperature had dropped again and it had begun to snow harder. When I pulled up to his house, a friendly-looking little Cape Cod with green shutters, the kitchen, and outdoor lights were on, and the lawn was covered with a layer of white stuff.

"Thank you," he said, getting out quickly. He was just about to close the passenger side door when I called to him.

"Dan!" 

He opened the door and peered in at me curiously.

"Will I see you again?"

"Sure," he replied with no hint of guile, "I'll stop in the next day that I'm scheduled," With that, he closed the door and turned to head into his house.

I got out of the car and walked slowly over to his side so that he wouldn't feel threatened in any way.

"That's not what I meant, Dan... I mean... will I see you again. Can I take you out again some night? Soon?" I asked.

He turned back toward me and looked straight at me, grey-blue eyes wide in the darkness, "Are you sure you want to? After tonight?"

"I'm absolutely sure," I smiled, gently, "what do you say? Movie next time?"

With a very serious expression and tone he replied, "Only if I pay." 

It seemed to mean a great deal to him, so I readily agreed, "I get to buy the popcorn and soda though, alright?" I grinned.

He considered it for a moment and then nodded, "I don't know what next week's schedule is yet. I'll find out tonight when I get inside. I hope we can get the same night off."

I didn't remind him that I owned the cafe and could work any hours I wanted. I never discussed how much the cafe made but it was a nice living, and paid the bills, "You name the date and time and we'll go. I'll drive," I said pointedly.

That little smile I'd come to love so much appeared at the corner of his mouth, "Alright," he replied softly. He hesitated for a moment as though he wanted to say something else but changed his mind, "I'll see you some time next week," Then he turned and walked slowly up the little hill that led to his house, looking back once when he reached the door and favored me with a full grin. Before I could do or say anything else he was inside and lost to me for the time being.

Next week couldn't come fast enough for me. It wasn't until I was most of the way home that I realized that I hadn't gotten his phone number or even his last name. I'd been to his house, but since he'd been navigating, I hadn't been paying attention to street names and hadn't even thought to look at his house number. I thunked my forehead lightly against the steering wheel before finishing my trek to my own house.

(end chapter 3)


	4. Lost and Found

Daniel and Jonah

As soon as I arrived home I threw my jacket on the back of a chair and sped toward my computer where I typed in 'Autism'. There were so many sites I had no idea of where to start first. Finding a guaranteed safe site I began to read. 

The more I read, the more guilty I felt. I could feel the sensation crawling up my neck to my ears and into my cheeks. If it had been humanly possible for a man to catch fire that way, I would have gone up in flame. 

As I read on I realized that I had known kids who had fit the description in the article. I hadn't had a word to apply to them before, other than Space Cadet, but the fact was that I may have known at least a couple of kids with autism. While I hadn't treated them badly myself, I had never stopped anyone else from doing it, and now I felt like a complete heel. If that was how my Daniel had been treated, then I could see why he was so shy. I could feel the guilt settle in my stomach. 

I'd been brought up in a strict religious household and still attended church now and again, though mostly to please my parents than anything else, and I found myself offering up a quick but heartfelt prayer for forgiveness.

Memories flooded back as I listened once again as the kids called these others who just didn't seem to fit in anywhere, the quiet ones, the shy ones, the socially awkward ones, terrible names, tripped them up in the hallway between classes, slapped gum in their hair or painted their chairs with ink, causing them to ruin their clothes. I'd always looked away whenever I'd seen one of these poor kids walking around with a giant ink stain on the backs of their pants or skirts, knowing that they were most likely feeling mortified but were unable to do anything about it either until their parents could come with clean clothes or the day ended and they could go home.

I could only count on one hand how many of the 'misfit' kids I'd run across in my lifetime, but I felt ashamed that I'd never done anything before to help them. To be honest, like so many of the others, I think I'd been afraid that if I'd spoken up I would have ended up being a target myself, a pretty poor reason I could see in hindsight.

I hadn't been a popular kid, nor had I been a spaz or a nerd... I felt the heat of shame flush my face again when I thought of those words... even now, even thinking of those labels came automatically. I'd just been one of the average guys. Average looks. A little taller, and a hair better built than some due to working at my uncles' welding shop but nothing like the football players or wrestlers at school. Not handsome or athletic enough to be considered one of the popular guys, slightly better than average grades, mostly Bs, but not enough for anyone to label me a nerd... an incredibly intelligent person, I corrected myself. And I had friends. Just a handful but I'd always believed it was quality rather than quantity, and my friends were the best guys I knew.

I sat back and sighed. Had he had friends while in school? Or had people made fun of him and been cruel to him? He'd admitted that he'd had issues. I wondered what they were and if there were any way I could help him at this late date. I made a promise to myself to do everything I could for him. 

The more I read, the more I thought about my Daniel. I stopped for a moment to laugh at myself, already thinking of him as mine when I barely knew anything about him or vice versa, but then the guilt was back in force. How many people, I wondered, had simply dismissed him, ignored him when he was in distress. It said right in the article that I was reading that autistic children were often easy prey for bullies who didn't know and most likely wouldn't care if they had known. I made a promise to myself that no one would ever hurt him again as long as I was around.

(end chapter 4)


	5. Daniel and Jonah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anticipation

Monday came around and I waited to see if he would come in. There was no sign of him in the morning but he did arrive just a little before the lunch hour rush. He put his backpack and coat in his usual spot and came to the counter.

"Good afternoon, Dan!" I greeted him with a smile, "The usual?"

Quietly, he ordered a sandwich and soda, once again avoiding eye contact with me. I kept my smile on my face but it was a fight as my heart felt as though it had dropped into my stomach. Had he decided he didn't want to go out with me again?

Just then he shyly slid a piece of paper across the counter. He seemed reluctant to release it at first but finally let it go. He was blushing and his breathing was a bit shallow. I was glad that the first of the afternoon customers hadn't arrived yet because I didn't think I could have kept that smile plastered on for much longer. I picked up the paper, fully expecting it to be one of those, 'I like you, but...' letters. Instead, it contained a list of the days and hours that he'd been scheduled for the week. I slowly let out the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

Before I could say anything, the bell at the door rang and several people came in. I gave Dan's order to one of my assistants and leaned toward him with a genuine smile. "I'll bring your food to you when it's ready Dan."

He nodded and went to sit down while I greeted the newcomers and took their orders. I don't think I've ever worked so fast in my life, but I managed to take the orders while my assistants worked hard to accurately fill every one as quickly as possible. Gesturing to Abby, who had finished her last customer and was taking a short breather, to take over the register for a moment, I took Dan's food over to him, as promised. Although it had been a little longer wait than I'd anticipated he had sat patiently, reading yet another book and furiously taking notes as he read.

"Here you go, Daniel," I announced softly so as not to startle him. Despite my care, he did jump a little. With a blush, he closed the notebook and hid the book he'd been reading beneath the table.

I sat down across the table from him and jokingly asked him, "Reading the Kama Sutra?"

His expression was completely blank, but despite the short time in which I'd actually known him, I was beginning to be able to read him a little easier. Right now I interpreted his lack of expression to mean that he had no clue what I was talking about, so I tried a different tactic.

"You know what I used to do when I was a kid still in grammar school? I'd hide a comic book or some other thin book inside my texts, and I'd read those instead of the assignment we'd been given," I chuckled.

For some reason, his expression turned stony and he once again refused eye contact with me. I quickly apologized if I'd offended him.

"In high school, in the special ed class I was stuck in, we were given first-grade stuff to read, like we were stupid or something," he replied with an edge to his voice. "it finally got to the point where we all just refused to do the work any more. We wanted to learn at grade level, but they wouldn't let us. They didn't think we were capable."

He stopped there as he calmed himself and gathered his thoughts, and then continued after a short pause, "We'd have given anything to be working at our grade level and not treated like imbeciles. There was only one teacher in high school who tried, but by then it was too late to learn anything. She made sure that I was put in mainstream classes because she believed that I was capable of learning so much more. She's the only teacher I ever liked."

"So the thought of me ignoring my studies to fool around rather than learn upsets you," I guessed in a quiet voice.

He nodded once, abruptly.

"I'm sorry, Dan. I had no idea." Once again I could feel the heat of shame climb from my shirt collar and into my cheeks. It was amazing what I'd taken for granted when kids like Dan had been treated badly and thought so little of by the people who were supposed to be teaching them.

"Dan?" I began gently, "I don't want to pry, but didn't your parents say anything to them?"

"I never told them," he replied quietly, his hands clenched on the tabletop.

I was silent for several moments, taking it all in. Were all autistic children taught below their grade level? Would there be something about it on the internet? It just floored me that someone so intelligent could have been thought of, or treated as anything other than a bright human being.

"I was in the BDLC class, even though every teacher I had said that I didn't have a behavioral problem, because they didn't have the facilities to deal with an autistic person. My mother tried to get me into a school especially for kids like me, but the state refused to pay for it and we're... well... we're not exactly rich and my parents couldn't afford to send me there, so I got stuck where I was," he paused again and a definite expression of anger crossed his features.

"I don't want to dredge up bad memories, Dan, but what does BDLC stand for?"

"Behavior Disorder Learning Center," he explained quietly. When I didn't reply he continued.

"One of my aunts told my mother that she should send me away and put me in some kind of home," his voice was tight once again, "she had no idea that I was nearby and could hear every word. I was really young at the time but old enough to understand what she meant. I just stood there. I thought I was going to cry. I was just about to go into my bedroom when my mother told her off. She told my aunt to deal with her own five little terrors before she passed judgment on me, and then said sure, she'd send me off to that place, as long as the family could find a house and jobs nearby, and provided that I was allowed to come home every night. This was kind of early on when no one was really sure what was going on with me. My mother brought me to doctor after doctor. She knew something was off but had no idea what."

"One doctor said I was psychotic. I was five at that time," he paused here and took another deep breath before speaking again but I could see that he was trembling. I put my warm hands over his clenched ones and squeezed them lightly. 

"When I was about seven, another doctor that mom brought me to said that I was just a spoiled brat and mom should stick me in the corner when I acted out," here he stopped a moment and chuffed a laugh, "mom asked me to go into the waiting room while she spoke to the nice doctor, but I could hear through the door when she told the woman off. I wish I could remember what exactly she said, but the woman was speechless by the time we left. I can remember that incident because mom is allergic to peaches."

I looked, confused, at Daniel until he realized he'd lost me and explained.

"She'd eaten something that contained peach the night before and was covered in hives. By the time we left, the hives were bright red she was so mad."

"One doctor even asked mom if she'd be upset if she told her that there was nothing wrong with me. I can remember it like it was yesterday. She stood and gathered me up and started for the door, then she turned around and said, 'Miss Sorensen, you notice I didn't bother to try to call you doctor, you don't deserve the title.' I don't really remember what she said after that because the words were too big for me to get, you know? And she spelled some of them out," he laughed again at the memory, "yep, she was pretty good at leaving people with their mouths hanging open."

I grinned at the pictures he painted for me. I hadn't met the lady of the house yet, but I was of mixed feelings about it. On one hand, she sounded like a lioness, and on the other, she sounded like something of a nut, and I worried which one I'd run into when I finally did meet her.

"When were you finally diagnosed, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I was about eleven, and mom brought me to another place. She had already sent in this huge envelope full of papers for the doctor and she had another folder full of more papers. Stuff from my teachers and things like that. I was worried that they'd said I was just a bad kid, you know? I was afraid that he'd read the stuff from them and decide that he didn't like me too. I was a little scared because he wouldn't let her come into the office with me but the guy was ok. We talked a lot, and we played some board games. Then after about an hour, he asked me to go to the waiting room and ask my mother to go in. That's when he finally told her that based on all the paperwork and his interview with me that I had Asperger's Syndrome."

The light switch finally turned on in my head. "Which falls under the autism spectrum," I said, mostly to myself, hoping that I'd read and understood the sites I'd scrolled through.

"I guess so. My sister is on the spectrum but she always got mad when mom would make her go to therapy and she wouldn't cooperate, so she got to stop going. My little brother is autistic as well," he gave a short, self deprecating laugh, "When I'd go to therapy, I'd say stuff, mostly to shock them to get a reaction, but instead of them saying they couldn't help me in therapy they made me go more often. So I guess I kind of bit myself in the butt there."

"I was in speech therapy, and this therapy and that therapy... back then I hated it but I guess it helped some, now that I think about it."

"Hey, Jonah?" Abby called from the counter, "I'm really sorry but... we could kind of use your help up here?"

Dan and I both looked up to see a harried looking Abby and my other assistants working at a feverish pace to fill the orders. I knew they could handle it but I also knew that I was there to work, not sit and chat with Dan, as much as I wanted to.

"Be right there!" I called before turning to Daniel with a sheepish grin, "Gotta get back to work my friend, when do you get out tonight?"

"I'm off today," he replied, "I just came in to give you my schedule. Thanks for taking it and not throwing it away."

It touched me that he'd gone out of his way just to give me his schedule. "Hang tight then. When the rush is over we can talk more, alright?"

He half shrugged his shoulder and in that quiet voice replied, "You'd better get back to work. I don't want you to get into trouble."

I grinned at him and made a beeline back to the counter where I helped the crew take and fill orders. It was hectic for a couple of hours, nothing out of the ordinary but I found myself slightly resenting all of these people for keeping me away from my Daniel. I smiled and greeted everyone as usual, but I felt something that I would describe as withdrawal at being taken away from him. I've never actually gone through any sort of withdrawal but I've heard stories, and the feeling in the pit of my stomach echoed those feelings I'd been told about.

When the rush was finally over at three I took a deep breath and let it out, something all of us were doing it seemed. I looked into the corner where my Daniel had been sitting only to find him gone. Once again, my heart sank into my stomach region. I wondered if he'd be back, then I remembered that he'd given me his schedule. 

After we cleaned the area, Abby and Mick went around the front of the counter where some of the tables were and sank down onto the chairs, looking as though they were half asleep already. Luckily the rest of the day would be relatively calm, and even the going home crowd wouldn't be as bad as lunch time.

Gerry had headed to the back where a couch and two comfy chairs were situated. He curled up on the couch, much to Mikah's displeasure since 'everyone knew' that was her spot. But being the smallest and most resourceful of the bunch, she jumped up and landed in the space left by his bent knees, put her legs up on him and closed her eyes. Gerry never moved a muscle. 

Cheree and Enzio gladly sank down into the overstuffed chairs that flanked the couch, and put their heads back, our premade lunches were momentarily forgotten in the refrigerator.

I turned the open sign to closed and locked the door so that the lot of us could rest and eat before the 'going home' crowd came in for their last minute cups of coffee. I thought of myself as a good boss, and always made sure that everyone on my crew took all of their breaks on time. Tonight would, hopefully, be a little different. As a general rule, the stores in my little plaza all closed at six, though some of us would stay open a little later for special occasions, however I had no intention of staying open late this evening, for any reason. I announced that after our dinner break we should cover and put all of the lunch meats back into the cooler to keep them fresh. Left over bread (luckily not much of it) was tared out and everyone was allowed to take some home. The rest I usually fed to the birds. 

I finally looked at the paper he'd given me. In somewhat messy print he had written not only his schedule but his full name, which I'd never known, his address and his telephone number. I had a hard time keeping my heart, which had sunk just moments before, from leaping with joy right out of my chest. Although I was just as tired as the rest of them, and my stomach was growling loudly, I grabbed my sandwich and a cola, then went upstairs to my office and called the number.

A pleasant female voice answered the phone.

"Mrs. Johnson?"

"Speaking," came the cheerful sounding response.

"Hi, my name is Jonah. Jonah MacIntyre. I'm a friend of Daniel's. Is he home by any chance?"

The silence that followed made me wonder if we'd somehow gotten disconnected, until I heard her pleasant, soft voice say, "Hold on, please." I knew that she put her hand over the phone but I could still hear her call, "Danny! Dan! Phone call!" There was a short pause before I heard my name mentioned. It was only seconds later when Daniel apparently took the phone from his mother's hand. I could hear him say, "Stop smiling at me like that." 

By the disgruntled tone of his voice, I could tell exactly what look she was giving him. It was a good thing we weren't in the same room or else I knew I'd start laughing. It was several more moments before he actually answered the phone. I could hear a door shut and the springs of his bed as he settled down onto it.

"Hi Jonah," he finally said, "how was the lunch rush?"

"Like a chicken coop at feeding time," I joked.

There was silence at his end and I wondered if he'd ever seen a chicken coop let alone a chicken that didn't come wrapped in plastic.

"Ever see someone feeding the birds and they all come flocking around trying to get a bit?" I asked.

"Yeah," he finally replied, "me and mom used to like to feed the ducks at the park until the seagulls started flying at them and stealing the bread."

"Well then, the lunch rush was like trying to feed a flock of seagulls." I laughed.

"Seagulls attacked me, mom, and my sister one day when we were walking to the mall. We had a bag of cheese puffs," he replied seriously, "mom put her jacket over our heads and threw the bag somewhere behind us and we ran the rest of the way to the mall. Mom was afraid that we were going to get hurt it was so bad."

I wasn't sure because of the lack of tonality in his voice, but I thought I could hear a hint of a rebuke in there. This conversation wasn't going the way I'd imagined it at all.

"Well," I rallied, "it was hectic but we made it. So, what did you do after you left the store today?"

"I worked on a painting," he replied quietly.

"You paint? That's great, Dan." I said with a smile, "I do a little sketching but I'm terrible with color so my stuff is usually all done in pencil. What do you like to paint?"

"Whatever's on my mind."

"What was on your mind today? Can I ask?"

"Just stuff."

"Do you think I can see some of your paintings someday?"

Once again there was a brief silence before he answered, "I'm not very good. My paintings are kind of abstract. I don't think a lot of people would get it. I'm pretty sure no one would like them."

"Dan, have you ever heard the song, 'If You Wanna Sing Out, Sing Out?' "

"I can't sing. My brother says I sound like a dying moose."

I caught myself before I could allow the laughter that welled up inside of me out. "I don't sing well either," I admitted, "what I mean is, the song is basically about doing your own thing and not worrying about what other people think." I sang a couple of bars, knowing that my voice sounded uncertain as I tried to remember the words, not to mention that I was self-conscious as well.

"You don't sing that bad," he replied. I could hear the confusion in his voice. I was becoming very good at hearing and interpreting the various tones that did come out on occasion.

"Well, I'll never win any talent shows," I joked, "but I can manage a little bit now and then. The point is, I like to sing, at least when I'm alone," I added with a laugh, "so if you like to paint, then paint. Paint what you think. Paint what you feel, and don't worry what other people think, got it?"

"Yeah," he replied.

"So... can I ask what you painted today?"

"The Archangel Michael."

"Sounds impressive! What else have you painted?" I took a moment to smile and nod my thanks to Abby who had brought me a cup of coffee.

Dan went on to describe some of his paintings, his voice becoming slightly uncertain the more he spoke. 

"Now you've really got me curious," I replied, "someday, maybe soon, you'll let me see some of them? Please? The one of St. Peter sounds fascinating." 

If it were possible to hear a shrug over the phone I'm sure I would have heard Dan doing it just then. 

"Whenever you're ready to share, ok?"

He replied in the affirmative and then went silent again.

"Anyway, Dan, the reason I called is because we both have Sunday off, and I thought we could go see a movie... your treat, I promise. Anything particular in mind?"

"There's a documentary on the Battle of Gettysburg that I was going to watch on Sunday, do you mind if we do that, then we can go and see a movie another night?"

"That sounds perfect, I didn't know you were into history," I replied, it sounded as though it would be a great night.

"My father studied archaeology in college and I always had a fascination with history. I never went on any digs but my father used to take me to the dinosaur museum when I was a kid. He'd also take me to the airplane museum and I'd see all the old planes there."

"It's a date then. I'll bring the popcorn," I joked.

As I was beginning to find out, Dan was a very literal person and he replied, "We have popcorn here. And soda. Like my mother says, 'Just bring yourself. That'll be plenty.'

I couldn't help but to chuckle, despite his earlier stories his mother sounded like very down to earth person and I liked that. Suddenly his voice was muffled and I thought perhaps the connection had gone bad. 

"Dan. Dan?" I asked, "Are you still there?"

His voice returned to normal and he said, "Mom asked me to ask you to come to dinner on Sunday. Are you ok with that?"

He sounded a little bit nervous so I assured him immediately that I'd love to go. He told me the time and gave me his address once again. "Do you like spaghetti?" he asked, "If you don't mom said she'd make something different. We're going to use my grandma's sauce. She visited and dropped off a big jar of it. It's homemade and it's a real treat for us."

"Can't wait," I replied with a grin, "see you then."


	6. Daniel and Jonah

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 6

I was surprised when I rang the doorbell and a young boy with an unruly mop of hair opened the door, peeking out from behind it with a smile. I introduced myself just before I heard a woman's exasperated voice say, "Freddie, I told you to put a shirt on, now go upstairs and do what you were told."

The boy, who looked as though his hair hadn't seen a scissor in a couple of years, grinned at me and I could hear running footsteps. The woman opened the door the rest of the way with a welcoming smile, "Come on in, it's nice to finally meet you," the short, plump, salt and pepper haired woman said as she shook my hand and pulled me inside at the same time. I could see where Dan got his curly hair from.

I replied politely in kind although Dan hadn't told me overly much about his family. As I walked in I saw pictures on the walls of smiling children from infancy on up. I had to smile at the ones of Daniel as a toddler because he hadn't changed much. He still had a baby face and the same curly hair, although it had darkened from the platinum blonde which it had once been.

The youngest, Freddie, at this age looked just like Dan had at the age of ten, except for the color of his hair which was dark brown.

There were pictures of a little girl who could only be Dan's sister Amanda on the wall as well. She'd been an adorable little baby and toddler but she looked like a model in what I assumed were her latest pictures.

Dan saw me looking and explained, "I told you about my sister. She's not here. She moved away to Pennsylvania with her boyfriend last year."

Before I could reply the younger boy came back down the stairs, sounding like, as my own mother used to say about me and my brothers, a herd of elephants. He was still grinning and began talking to me, his words were rapid-fire and nearly impossible to understand for the most part.

"Fred, give the man a chance to settle in before you talk his ears off," his mother said, still sounding exasperated but I could also hear the tone of affection in her voice. "In case you didn't know, this is Freddie, Dan's little brother."

I couldn't help but look between the two a few times in confusion. I knew now that Dan was in his early 20s but this boy couldn't have been much older than twelve. 

His mother saw my reaction and chuckled, "Freddie is sixteen now. He was born when Dan was ten years old, he was our big surprise," she explained, giving the boy a hug before asking him to go into the kitchen and finish setting the table. The boy groaned but went to do as he'd been asked when he was pinned with 'the mother look', which this woman had seemingly mastered.

"My name is Angela, Angie for short," she introduced herself as she drew me toward the dinner table and closer to the wonderful scents in the air, "and this is his father, Sebastian, but everyone calls him Seb. Some of his brothers call him Jim since he looks so much like his father. His brother and sister would call him Jim, first by accident, and then as a joke. "I do it myself sometimes, just to get under his skin," she laughed.

/p>

A tall 50ish man stood up from where he'd been sitting at the table playing a handheld video game and offered his hand, "Good to meet you, Jonah," he said. I could tell already that this was a man of few words.

"Well," Angie announced, "the food is ready whenever you all are. Put the game down, Jim." Angie said fondly.

It was such a motherly thing to say to a grown man that I nearly laughed. Reluctantly Dan's father put the game aside and began to pile spaghetti onto my plate as the bread was offered to me.

Dinner that night was amazing. His mother had made garlic bread and salad, and the sauce was like nothing I'd ever had before. Dan was right. It was a treat. I had three helpings before I was finally too full to eat more.

Throughout dinner it had been difficult to have a conversation with anyone because Freddie was a little chatterbox, firing questions off and continuing to speak before getting a full answer, which I admitted to myself I found a little annoying although I kept a smile on my face. As quiet as Dan's father was, his youngest son made up for even though he'd been told several times by his mother to 'Hush up and eat, Fred.'

Despite the rapid and seemingly endless talk from his little brother, the kid managed to put away two plates full of spaghetti and bread nearly as quickly as he spoke. The boy finished off his food and quickly got up, preparing to leave the table.

"Fred put your dishes in the washer, then you can go upstairs and play your video game," his mother announced, only to be met with another groan of protest and the beginning of what looked like tears.

"If you don't help, you can't play your game. Your choice," his mother said in a matter of fact tone, "and the longer you moan and complain the longer it'll be before you can play it." Then she turned to Dan and myself and said, "Why don't the two of you go on into the living room and turn the TV on. I'll bring dessert and coffee in."

I was about to explain that I was stuffed when Dan said with an excited gleam in his eyes, "Mom found nonnie's recipe for cheesecake, believe me, you'll have room for it." His words turned out to be very true. The cake itself was light and the fresh strawberries on top were sweet. I managed two slices before I once again was too full to put in anything else. The coffee was strong but good. I noticed that Dan drank iced tea, "I can't stand coffee," he explained briefly as he looked at his watch and checked the time. He was the only man I knew who still wore a wristwatch, and as I thought about it, I realized that I'd never seen him use a cell phone like most people.

I was only vaguely aware of it when his little brother, who had finished helping in the kitchen, thundered up the stairs to continue with his game with a plate and fork which I rightly assumed contained a piece of the cheesecake as his mother yelled up after him.

I leaned in to speak confidentially to Daniel and asked, "Does she always do that? Make Freddie do all the cleaning?"

Dan chuffed a laugh. "No, he hardly does anything. Mom's trying to get him used to help around the house."

I could feel my eyebrows go up in surprise but then I had to grin. We'd had much the same problem in our house when I'd been growing up.

Dan turned to the correct channel just as the documentary was beginning. Even though I was a history buff, my interests centering mostly on World Wars I and II, I found it to be as enthralling as Dan did. I could understand his fascination with it, and the popcorn which his mother had made went almost uneaten as I was drawn into the events unfolding on the screen.

After the documentary was over, Dan and I sat for a long time, talking about what we'd seen and heard. I found out that it wasn't just the Civil War but history in general that Dan was interested in, and knew quite a lot about. Somehow the conversation turned to the Renaissance period, which he was also well versed in. 

I found it to be a wonderful experience, to have Dan open up to me about his interests and sharing his knowledge with me. I found myself loving him even more just for the animation in his voice, his exuberance while speaking, the sparkle in his grey-blue eyes.

"I'd like to go to another Renaissance fair," he said, "we went to one last summer and it was a lot of fun. I asked mom to make me a costume for next time, but she said she wasn't sure if we could afford the materials, or how we'd get there. My aunt drove us last time but we can't keep asking her to do that. Sometimes I wish we had our own car." Everything had been said in such a matter of fact manner that I nearly missed the last thing he said.

It was only then that I realized that there hadn't been a car in the driveway when I'd parked. I had just assumed that it had been in their freestanding garage or even out being serviced. It had never occurred to me that there could be anyone out there who didn't have one.

"How about if I bring you this year?" I asked.

Dan was suddenly quiet.

"What's wrong, Dan?" I asked, worried that I might have said something wrong, "we don't have to go if you don't want to."

"Mom and Freddie liked the fair last time too... would you be... willing to..." he stammered, looking very uncomfortable.

I realized then that Dan and his mother were very close, and that there were just some things he was hesitant to share with anyone else. I knew then that if I took Dan and his mother that I'd also have to take the Chatterbox, as I'd become to think of him with fondness, now that he wasn't in the same room talking a mile a second.

"Of course they can come along," I smiled, "there's plenty of room in my car for everyone. What about your dad?"

"I'm not sure if he'd have the day off from work or not. Or if he'd even want to go. The Renaissance is something that mom and I share, the music, the culture..."

Jonah smiled then, "Of course we can all go. I think it would be a lot of fun, and honestly, I can't wait to go with you. You can tell me about all of the things I don't know."

Dan smiled and then as though he'd been talking about it the entire time he asked, "Do you want to go to my room? I'd like to show you my library."

I chuckled as a thought came to me and Dan's smile disappeared somewhat as he said, "We don't have to," he added, sounding just a little upset.

At first I didn't understand the sudden change in his mood, then I realized that he might have thought that I was laughing at him, so I explained patiently, "Dan, there's an old cliche that I just thought of, that's what made me laugh, not anything pertaining to you personally."

"Cliche?"

"It's just an old thing, I'm not even sure where it came from, but when someone was trying to lure another person to their room for," I hesitated a moment because I wasn't sure how he'd take the meaning behind it, "well," I hedged, "for less than noble reasons, they would ask if the other person would like to go to their bedroom to 'see their etchings' or paintings or some other thing, just anything to get them to go into the bedroom with them. I know that's not why you asked me," I added hastily, seeing his face stiffen up somewhat, "it's just an old joke that I thought of. I'd love to see your library, if you still want to share it with me," I finished lamely. I wondered to myself if I'd already managed to mess things up with him. I knew that he wasn't one to trust easily and I didn't want to be the one to lose his.

His features relaxed somewhat and he led me upstairs and to the room on the left. 

"Wow, I've never seen wallpaper like that before," I grinned.

"Wallpaper?" Dan asked, confused.

I looked again and realized that it wasn't wallpaper at all. It was, for all intents and purposes, a library. Shelves had been custom-built, and every shelf was full of books. As I looked around I noticed that there were books piled on the floor and by his bedside table as well. The space that wasn't taken up by his bed held an easel with his latest painting on it.

Self consciously he began to take the painting down.

"I'd love to see it, Dan. If you don't mind, that is."

He hesitated for several moments before slowly turning the canvas toward me so that I could see it.

There, suspended in the center of the canvas, was a figure that definitely looked like an angel, wings flared, using a golden tipped spear to fight a black dragon while streaks of sunlight pierced the clouds above as though lending the angel extra power to defeat the serpent. I leaned down a little to take a closer look. I turned toward Dan with a smile, "This is really good."

"You think so? I know it's kind of abstract..."

"Yeah, this is really good... the painting style reminds me a little of Monet."

"Monet?"

I thought for a moment before replying, "Dabs of colors that create the subject of the painting, rather than just doing what I do, which is drawing a picture and then trying to shade it. Did you do all of this freehand?" I asked, turning once again to admire the angel on the canvas.

"Yes," he replied softly, "so, you really think it's good?"

"Wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it, believe me. I can't be the only one who has told you that," I replied, smiling.

"No," he replied uncertainly, "but I always think they're just saying that to be nice."

Looking around, I saw a stack of canvases against a wall. "May I see some more?"

"Ummm, maybe later, ok?" he replied uncertainly before a mischievous little smile appeared on his lips, "I brought you up here to show you my... etchings... remember?"

I blinked in surprise, which he seemed to find amusing if the twinkle in his grey-blue eyes was anything to go by. Finally, I grinned back, "Brat," I said fondly, "ok, let's see your library."

As he showed me book after book I found myself astounded, not only by the sheer number but by the incredible variety of subjects, fiction, nonfiction, autobiographies, biographies, many volumes on history, several bibles, science fiction, fantasy, quite a few very definitely antiques, first editions which I handled carefully. As I picked up one of his bibles, which I recognized as the book he'd been taking notes from just the other day, a piece of paper fell out.

I picked it up and read it with some difficulty because his printing was a bit on the messy side, but the message it conveyed went straight to my heart.

Life never lasts forever  
As I go down the river  
I am not afraid of the swordsmen in front of me  
Ready to take me away forever more  
Rather I fear the ropes and chains behind.

"Dan," I said quietly, "this is... really beautiful."

He obviously hadn't noticed me reading the poem until I spoke because once he saw me with it his face turned red and he moved to take it away from me. I could see that his hand was shaking slightly and once again he wouldn't look directly at me.

"I'm sorry," he replied, the animation gone from his voice once again, "I never meant for anyone to see that."

Initially, I wanted to keep it from his hand and put it into my pocket, but I also knew that I didn't have the right to do so. I took his shaking hand and placed the paper carefully so that it wouldn't tear.

"Dan," I said quietly, "it really is a beautiful piece of poetry. It just fell out of the book."

He didn't reply but took the paper and folded it as small as he could and threw it into a drawer.

"I'm sorry," I began.

"It's my fault," he said, still blushing furiously. 

To change the subject I said, "I write a bit of poetry myself. I've never shared it with anyone either. If you'd like, I'll bring one of mine with me the next time we see each other. We can share that way, alright?"

He looked at me dubiously and I couldn't help but smile. "Yes, I promise. I think that we can learn a lot about each other this way. What do you say?"

"I guess," he replied uncertainly, turning his gaze once again to the wood floor of his bedroom, "I'll have to find where I put them all."

Inwardly I sighed with relief, I'd been afraid once again that I might have scared him away.

Slowly and gently, so that I wouldn't startle him, I took him by the shoulders and turned him toward me, tilting my head down so that I could see his face better despite the fact that he was still looking down at the floor.

"Dan," I said gently, "Daniel... you never have to worry about me judging, laughing... I'm not a mean person, and I truly care for you. All I want is for you to be happy, and comfortable... especially with me. I promise that I'll never intentionally do anything to hurt or upset you, and if I do, I want you to feel free to tell me. OK?"

He quickly glanced up before turning his eyes down once more and I could feel his shoulders go up in a slight shrug.

"I mean it, hon," I continued quietly, "I hope that the more we get to know each other the more you can learn to trust me. I understand that you've had a difficult time in the past. I just want you to know that when I say that I'm here for you, I mean it. You can tell me anything. And when you feel comfortable enough with me to do that, I'll be here, alright?"

" 'K," he replied in a soft voice.

"Is it alright if I give you a hug, Dan?" I asked gently.

He glanced up again from beneath his fair lashes, this time with a shy smile, and nodded. I gathered him up and held him. My heart leaped with joy when I felt his arms go around my waist and he laid his head against my chest. He didn't seem to be in any rush to let go so I laid my cheek on the top of his head. His hair was so soft, and I could smell the scent of his shampoo. 

I don't know how long we stood there like that but we were startled by the sound of someone softly clearing their throat from the doorway. 

Dan let go quickly as though we'd been caught doing something more than just hugging, and he was blushing furiously once more as his mother smiled at us. I couldn't help but notice that she had the same, sweet smile as her son.

"I'm sorry to bother you guys, but Dan, it's after ten and you have to get up at 5 for work tomorrow," she said apologetically.

" 'K," he replied quietly, still blushing though the intensity of the color had faded somewhat.

Without another word, his mother turned and went back downstairs.

I was surprised when he took me by the hand and we followed in his mother's footsteps. Neither his parents nor his little brother were in sight. We stopped at the door where he helped me put my jacket on, even going so far as to zip it up for me. 

When he finally looked at me, I saw another of his sweet smiles. "Goodnight, Jonah," he said quietly as he held out his hand for me to shake.

I grinned back at him and took his hand. "Goodnight, Daniel. Sweet dreams."

He opened the door for me and watched to make sure I made it to the car safely. He waited until he heard the engine start then with a final wave and a smile he closed the door. I drove away with a huge grin on my face, and a full feeling in my heart.

I knew definitely that this was the man for me, and I looked forward to the next time I would be able to see him.


	7. Daniel and Jonah

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 7

We saw a lot of each other during the following months, and Dan was a lot more comfortable with me, smiling more, more open, and more animated than I'd seen previously. We learned a lot about each other, which made me extremely happy.

In mid-June, he introduced me to some of his friends in the neighborhood, and they seemed very likable folks. I was touched and grateful that they were so kind to him without being condescending. They treated him just as they treated everyone else, including me. Especially Big John.

He was sitting out on his porch with a group of people who were all drinking and laughing. I recognized the house as the one that had been decorated to the teeth for Halloween. He was a somewhat short but heavily built, exuberant guy that everyone except his wife called Big John, who practically roared a greeting as he embraced me and welcomed me to the family.

Johnny's daughter and son were with him and they were just like their father, smiling and welcoming. His son was practically a carbon copy of his father. There were several other people there who reacted in various ways. A couple of people were more reserved, which I could understand, but more were smiling welcomingly and immediately drew me into the conversation, eager to get to know me in person since they'd heard so much about me from Dan. Johnny's son, predictably named John Junior but whom everyone referred to as Little John, asked me if I'd like a drink and I accepted an ice cold beer gratefully as it was a hot night.

Dan had taken one as well and I frowned a little to myself. I knew he took medications and that drinking alcohol was on the list of things to avoid. I refrained from saying anything at that time. I wasn't going to embarrass him, but I was going to watch his alcohol intake. He didn't protest when I told Little John that Dan and I would love some water after the first beer. He showed no resentment toward me for making that decision and sat close by, sipping at the water and cracking the occasional joke which had the group laughing.

I was surprised that night when I dropped him off at home and tried to take him into my arms for a hug and he flinched a little. When he saw my hurt expression he quickly explained, "I get a little nervous when people touch me and I'm not expecting it, that's all," he said sheepishly, "one day at church I was helping an elderly lady and she just touched my hair and I... well, I kinda jumped. I didn't mean to scare her but she sort of scared me first, if you know what I mean."

He blushed a little at that confession and looked down at the ground.

I gave myself a mental head slap. I had read somewhere in the many articles regarding autism that for many folks on the spectrum, their senses were heightened. Some preferred not to be touched at all, and others needed to be asked so that they could prepare for the sensation. Up until now, I'd kept that at the forefront of my memory for this very reason. I took a breath and offered him an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry I didn't talk to you first. That was entirely my fault. Is it alright if I hug you?" I asked, trying to be more considerate, even though it was a little late. 

With a grateful smile, Dan walked into my outstretched arms, snuggling in... fitting in as though he had always been meant to fill that spot.


	8. Daniel and Jonah

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 8

One July evening around six thirty he brought me to a lake I'd never heard of before in a neighboring town. It was definitely a place for people to go swimming, there was even a dock and a small pier for fishing, but there was no one else there. I looked at the sign and then the clock on my phone.

"Dan," I began, "it looks like the place is closed. I don't think we're supposed to be here..."

"Don't worry about it," he replied with a smile, "Mr. C, who owns the property, knows me and lets me come here after hours. He knows I don't go out too far."

I had no idea who Mr. C was but I was surprised at the man for allowing anyone to swim without a lifeguard present.

Dan must have seen the indecision in my green eyes because he explained, "I don't like large crowds, especially on the beach. People... kind of scare me, and... whenever I've tried to come here when it's busy I end up with a few of them harassing me. Mr. C has seen that, so he lets me come out when there isn't anyone else around," he pointed to a small house that was nearby, "that's where he and his family live. He can see and hear everything from his window and he keeps an eye out for me, but it's not necessary," he continued.

Removing his sneakers and socks he waded into the water. He walked out about ten feet before he began to disappear into the water little by little. He stopped when he was about neck deep, then turned and called me to join him. I could see why the Coach wasn't worried. From where Dan was, it was only a short swim to the floating dock. I knew that Daniel was 5'7", so I knew that the water couldn't be more than about ten or twelve feet deep in the dock area.

We spent a good portion of the early evening swimming, splashing, diving or jumping off of the dock, and there was a large slide that Dan loved to go down, trying to see how big of a splash he could make when he hit the water. We had, I admit, a wonderful time, and as the sun began to go down, lights came on, startling me. Dan just smiled and waved toward the house. The light flickered and then remained stable. I smiled as well. It was nice to know that Dan had friends who looked out for him. We horsed around in the water until the sunset at which point we went back to the beach to dry off.

My eyes widened when I saw Dan take off his wet shirt. He had several tattoos. I was surprised because he'd just never struck me as the tattoo type. He saw me looking and quickly began to put on a clean, dry shirt. I knew that if there had been more light I'd have seen him blush.

"No, Dan, don't cover them up yet, please? I'd love to see them," I said with a smile. "I love tattoos, I've just never gotten up the nerve to get one myself. I hear they're pretty painful," I admitted sheepishly.

He seemed indecisive at first but then put aside the tee shirt to let me look at the artwork on his arms and chest. He lifted the hem of his shorts so that I could see the one on his thigh. They were all larger than my hand and in full color.

"Didn't that hurt?" I asked, a little in awe.

"Nah, it's no worse than a little sunburn at first. And my guy takes really good care of me."

"Those are really great," I said admiringly as I examined them more closely. That's when I saw the scar on the bicep of his left arm. I squinted in the dim light to get a better view of it. It was obviously pretty old but it looked as though it had been painful when it had first happened. It looked to me as though it had been a burn. Concerned, I asked him about it. "Can... can I touch them?" I asked hesitantly.

As talkative and animated as he'd been a moment earlier, once again that iron wall was up between us, and he hurriedly put his shirt back on, not looking at me.

"Dan," I began.

He silently sat down on the beach and started to put on his socks and sneakers.

"Daniel," I said a little more sharply, "you have got to stop doing this."

Confused, he stopped tying his sneaker, looking between me and his sneakers as though he couldn't understand why tying his laces would upset me.

"That's not what I mean," I said sternly as I sat down on the sand beside him, "what I mean is that you have got to stop shutting me out. There's nothing you can tell me that will make me dislike you. We've been going out together for what now, four months? Have you ever seen me turn away from you? For any reason? What makes you think I'd do it now? I want you to trust me, Dan. I need you to trust me. It... hurts that there's still that reserve between us after all this time," I finally admitted.

Without looking at me Dan finally admitted, "I was about fourteen. I did something stupid. I'm embarrassed that I did it. It was a long time ago, but... it's a mark I'll never get rid of, and it'll always remind me..." he trailed off. He fell silent and finished tying his laces.

"Dan," I replied more gently, "whatever you did when you were a kid... it's over and done with. Whatever you did, you learned from it, and that's what counts. You keep hinting to me that you weren't the greatest person when you were younger. Neither was I. I honestly don't know anyone who was. Its part of what being a kid means, understand? We did stupid stuff. We learned. We grew, older and wiser. I'm not going to judge you for what you did as a child or hold anything from your past against you any more than I'd expect you to do it to me. Understand?"

Daniel shrugged, still not looking at me.

"Hey, next time you do that I'm going to swat you one, hear me?" I said. I could hear the edge to my voice so I took a calming breath. Still frustrated, I stood up and paced as I waited for him to speak.

He was quiet for a minute or so as he finished tying his laces and stood up. He then looked at me from beneath his lashes. "You've said that twice now. Would you really do it?" he asked quietly.

"Do wha..." I began just before understanding hit. "Swat you? For shrugging off my words? Yes. Shutting me out because you're afraid I'll leave you? Yes. Walking around during the winter with your jacket unzipped," I said significantly, "yes."

A small half smile graced his features as he ducked his head slightly so that he was no longer looking straight at me. Instead of a verbal response, he put his arms around my waist and pulled me into a hug, resting his head against my chest once more. This time I didn't ask since he'd initiated the touch. I put my arms around him and held him tight, swaying a bit as I did so.

It took some time but I finally convinced him to go to a public beach with me. I could understand his reticence, and I didn't push it, but I did let him know that I would be right beside him at all times so that if anyone tried to bother him, I'd be there to stop it.

He bit his lip as he thought about it and finally nodded, shrugging at the same time. "I burn," he finally said, "like a lobster. I don't even have to be out in the sun for very long. My sister and mother always tease me that I'm a vampire."

"We'll get you some high SPF sunscreen," I replied with a smile, "and you can wear a tee shirt, and even a wide-brimmed hat if you're worried."

"People will make fun of me for wearing the hat," he said dully.

"Not with me there, they won't. And if they do, I'll certainly speak up. So, is it a date?"


	9. Daniel and Jonah

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 9

We eventually made our way to the nearest beach and Dan's eyes widened in surprise. Since it was after Labor Day it was nearly empty, only a few die-hard sunbathers and swimmers were there, and more than one wore a shirt or a hat to protect them from the sun. I couldn't help but smile when Dan did. 

"When's the last time you were by the ocean?"

"I don't remember," he admitted, looking out over the water as though he'd never seen it before. "I remember when I was a kid that I had a fascination for lighthouses, so mom would buy me one every year and I'd put them on my window sill. He looked down at the sand with a slight frown. "I guess I must have gotten tired of them at some point because I don't know where they all are now."

I grinned as I said, "Maybe they have a souvenir shop somewhere nearby and we can pick one up for you. Start a new collection. What do you think?"

His attention was drawn suddenly to the sky, which was clear and blue that day.

"What are those?" he exclaimed.

I shaded my eyes and looked up. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what he was so fascinated by.

"Those! Those silver birds! What are they?"

Finally, my eyes focused. "Seagulls."

"Seagulls?" he replied, his tone hushed, "Are you sure? Why are they silver?"

I frowned and focused on the birds catching the breeze beneath their wings. They seemed the same color as always to me, and I found myself wishing that I could see things the way Dan did.

"Maybe it's the way the sun is catching their wings," I guessed. I wondered if I had ever thought the birds were silver as a kid and their beauty just... faded away as I got older. I glanced back up at the birds who Dan was still following with his eyes, and wished again that I could see what he did. I was surprised at myself for feeling a little sad, and a little jealous. Luckily I caught myself in time and gave myself another mental head slap for allowing myself to think that way.

"They don't look anything like those awful, filthy, vicious things that attacked us when me and my sister were kids... are you sure? Will they come down and attack us again?"  
he asked with some trepidation.

"I don't think so," I assured him, "Sometimes they get a little brave and come close or try to snitch stuff out of coolers or baskets, but they've never attacked a person as far as I remember. If they do..." I shrugged, "we don't want to hurt them either so... maybe have a pile of dirt ready and we can throw small handfulls toward them. Let them think it's food and maybe they'll leave us alone for a while... So," I continued cheerfully, "let's plant this umbrella, set up camp and hit the water, what do you say?"

He seemed surprised to find himself still on the beach but helped me set up our little area with a vague smile.

"What are you thinking, Dan?" I asked, "I'd say, 'Penny for your thoughts,' but I have a feeling that yours are worth a lot more than a penny."

He suddenly looked away as though embarrassed and I could feel that invisible barrier starting to come up between us once again.

"Dan," I warned, "remember what I said I'd do if you shut me out again?"

He looked at me then, surprised, then he glanced around warily, "You'd do that in front of all these people?"

"No, I'd wait until we were back at the car, or even back home. If it's serious enough I'd even take you to the men's room right here. I'm serious though, Dan... I meant what I said. I'm not going to judge you. You can tell me anything and I won't laugh or judge. Do you believe me?"

"I believe you," he replied shyly.

Then 'fess up," I ordered with a little wink.

After a short pause he took a deep breath and said quietly, "I sometimes wish I could fly. I dream of flying. In my dreams, I have angel wings, and I have my little, secluded house in the forest and I just fly around and look at everything. Feel the sun and the wind on my face and the breeze on my skin, catching my wings," he said as he looked back up at the seagulls, "and just... no one is around. Just me..." he stopped himself as though he thought he'd said too much and then I could see him tense up as he waited for me to laugh.

"That sounds really beautiful," I replied softly, then an idea hit me so hard that I would have been knocked over by it if it had been a solid thing. I did my best to contain my excitement as I asked, "Dan, are you afraid of heights?" I prayed that his answer would be 'No,' because I had a possible way to make that dream come true, minus the angel wings, of course, I reminded myself. I nearly sighed in relief when he replied in the negative.

"I have a surprise for you then. Do you know when you're off next?"

"I'll have to check my schedule, but I know I'm off tomorrow and the next day."

"I mean, in about a week or two," I said, knowing that I'd need at least that much time to make my plans.

"Oh, I don't know that far in advance," he replied.

"If I gave you a date, could you ask for it off?" I suggested.

"I guess," he said uncertainly.

"Don't worry hon, let's have fun for now. I'm going to need a little time, ok? I have an idea but I want it to be a surprise for you. I think you'll love it," I grinned. "C'mon, last one in the water has to eat sushi," I joked.

Dan frowned slightly and said, "I like sushi."

With that information in hand, I took off like a shot and dove into the water which was a bit cold at first, but it was either jump into cold water or eat sushi, which was just not going to happen unless it was a life or death situation. I was more than happy to buy him a sushi dinner at a great nearby hibachi grill just before we headed home.

A few nights later I was invited over to Dan's house for dinner.

"It'll just be the two of us though if that's ok," he said uncertainly, "mom and dad are taking Freddie to the movies and then to McDonald's."

"That's fine," I agreed with a grin. I liked the idea of just having him to myself without Freddie's incessant chatter.

When I arrived Dan met me at the door and took my jacket. Hanging it up on the hook behind the door he led me to the kitchen table which had been set for the promised dinner.

"Have a seat," Dan said with a grin, "I'll get the food."

To my surprise, he came back carrying two plates... of sushi.

"I noticed that you didn't have any last time we were out, so I thought I'd surprise you," he said, handing me a pair of chopsticks before sitting down and anxiously waiting for me to take the first bite.

I knew that I couldn't say no and possibly hurt his feelings since he'd obviously made it by hand, so this being a life or death situation, in my opinion, I ate. I did pretty well and only gagged once which I explained was merely a reaction to the wasabi sauce. "Just a little too potent for me, sorry," I explained with a grin.

He chuckled and said, "Oh, I don't like that either, but I didn't know if you did, so I made it. Do you like the dinner?"

"I love it," I fibbed as I gobbled the food as quickly as I could without actually tasting it. The thick coating of rice which he'd wrapped it in made that easy enough.

Dan was so pleased that I'd enjoyed it that he got up and refilled our plates.

With a sigh of resignation I smiled and thanked him, and... ate the sushi. It was worth it to see the happiness on his face.


	10. Daniel and Jonah

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 10

I'd found out early on that he still went to church regularly, which didn't surprise me since whenever I was at his house he seemed to enjoy listening to religious music. His taste in music was all over the board though, and I admitted that I was curious.

"My mother used to go to church. She left it years ago," he explained, "but she still loves the music and introduced me to it. My father loved his but it's too far away now for us to go to. We found one in the next city that we liked but haven't been able to get to that one in a while."

I knew that I looked just as confused as I felt. 

"Mom and dad were brought up different religions, and we were brought up in Dad's church, but they always told us kids that when we were old enough we could go to any church we wanted to if any. They told us that we could choose to be any religion we wanted to if that's where our hearts were."

I sat there, surprised, but remained silent. I had shown an interest in a different faith when I was 18. I was only talking about it with a friend, hearing what things were like for him, when my mother had walked in. After he left she practically snarled and demanded that I never join that religion. I'd never had any intention of doing so since it sounded a little... maybe a little more than just strange to me, and not a way I felt I could live comfortably, so I'd been able to make that promise with no qualms. My attention turned back to Dan, though. To be brought up in one religion and being given the opportunity to choose whatever religion he liked as an adult was a foreign concept to me, and I found it fascinating.

Dan continued, "After some looking around I found the church I go to just down the hill from where we live, and I found that I really love it, and the people are really nice. No one makes fun of me. I'm always included in conversations, and our pastor loves it when I have a sudden insight and share it with the congregation, even while he's speaking," he blushed a little then, "but I try not to do that anymore. One of the other folks in the church said something to me. She was really nice about it, so I don't do it anymore until the pastor specifically asks for people's thoughts. The church is almost more like a huge family get together than a service. And I love to go to bible study when I can."

I was surprised at that information. I still went to church occasionally out of respect for my parents, but I couldn't say with any truthfulness that I loved it. Bible study had been required when I'd been in grammar school, and I had been happy to be shut of it once I'd been old enough, since it had been the teacher talking and us taking notes for an hour and a half. Most of us kids had been half or fully asleep by the end of class.

"Would you like to go to church with me sometime?" Dan asked, with what was the closest to excitement I'd ever seen, "I know you'd love it! Please?"

So, the following Sunday I accompanied him to his church, and I had to admit that it was a very friendly and welcoming place, as were the members of the congregation. They all seemed very fond of Daniel and welcomed me with smiles and handshakes all around.

I thoroughly enjoyed the sermon as well. It was very uplifting, interspersed with laughter as the pastor would tell an occasional amusing anecdote related to the subject of his sermon. It was indeed enjoyable, just as Dan had promised.

Afterward, he led me to the 'Fellowship Room' which was basically a casually finished basement with a coffee station, tea, and a variety of pastries, cookies, and donuts provided by the congregants. As he stopped to talk to various people I listened to nearby conversations as well. There was no gossiping about anyone that I could tell, not a bad word to be heard about anything or anyone. People laughed, and joked, and smiled. Some were making plans for Bible study, some were talking about the choir and I even heard one of the congregation asking Dan if he'd like to join. I nearly laughed when I saw the look of surprise on his face. I was a little surprised myself since he'd told me himself that he was a terrible singer. I wondered if he really could sing and that he'd just been playing his talent down.

Now, I know that people are people, humans for the most part, and that these folks most likely weren't always this happy and, well, perfect was the only word I could find to describe them. I know that no one is perfect, but they came damned close, at least in the Fellowship Room. Apparently, they took the name of the room to heart, and I wondered if my church would do the same thing if I suggested it and if people would be so nice.

Usually, after service at my church, people were just barely patient while queuing to leave, but then when they got caught in the snarl of traffic in the parking lot and the street, they reverted to form, laying on their horns and yelling at the people annoying them.

Dan's church, when it came time to leave, was unbelievably orderly. The pastor, after reminding everyone to buckle up for safety, and church elders were allowed to leave first, then each person in turn after them would back up or pull forward and follow the procession to the street where they all went their separate ways. I'd never seen anything like it before. Of course, it was a very small congregation compared to what I was used to and I supposed that this worked fine for them, but I sincerely doubted that things would run as smoothly at my church. Dan had to nudge me when it was our turn because I was still watching with awe.

"Did you like it?" he asked me. I could see that he was afraid of the answer.

"I liked it a lot, Dan. Thank you for bringing me here," I replied with a smile. "I think the folks in your church are pretty great."

He looked at me as though I might be just saying it to be nice, so I reassured him that I meant it, wholeheartedly.

He smiled as he sat back, visibly relaxed. He spoke in length about his church and his pastor on the ride to his job where I'd promised to drop him off afterward.

"Will you come again?" he asked hopefully as we arrived at our destination and he prepared to get out of the car.

"I'd like that," I grinned at his enthusiasm, "would you like to give my church a visit one Sunday?"

"What's it called?" he asked curiously.

I told him the name, and it was as if a door had shut, no slammed, violently between us. He thanked me for the ride and said he'd call me when he got out of work if that was alright.

I had no idea what was going on but there was no time to ask as he quickly exited the car and nearly ran into the store.

He did call that evening and he apologized for his reaction to my request.

"It's just that mom grew in a church like yours, and... well... her experiences there weren't very nice, so... I worried that she'd get upset if I went with you. But she said it's my decision. She's never forced me to go or not to go to any church I wanted to. Even when I considered Judaism and Wicca she said as long as I was happy with it she was good with whatever I decided."

My eyebrows rose in complete surprise. I'd never heard of that before. I knew for a fact that if I'd ever told my parents that I'd wanted to change religions they'd have a few things to say, and I'd come out a little the worse for wear for it, even at the age of 29.

"I had no idea, Dan, I'm sorry about your mom."

"Don't be," he replied quietly, "She said that all of that was years ago. I'd... like to go with you."

I wasn't the least convinced. While I couldn't see his face, I knew that he was feeling conflicted and guilty, and I hated for him to feel that way.

"Would it help if I talked to your mother about it?" I asked gently.

"You can try," he said, sounding just a little bit relieved.

"Don't worry, Dan, I'll see if I can bring the subject up naturally, and we can see what she has to say, ok?"

"Ok," he replied quietly, "do... do you think... maybe... you can come over and we can watch TV tonight? Maybe you can bring it up then?"

"I don't see why not. But Dan, if I see her getting upset, or your dad getting worked up, I'm not going to push the idea, understand?  
Dan thought hard for a minute but then nodded.

Then, as sort of an afterthought, he said, "There were a lot of people in my mother's family who didn't like that dad was from a different religion, and wasn't Italian. They didn't like that mom wasn't raising us kids the same way she'd been raised. A couple of my aunts said that dad was abusing mom and forcing her to raise us differently than hers did. Mom tried to explain that it had nothing to do with dad but they insisted that mom had been brainwashed. They'd preferred to think that mom was feeble minded rather than willing. They had no idea how much she disliked the church she'd grown up in, and the bulk of the teachers who were so rude to and dismissive of her because she was "stupid"

I couldn't follow the conversation for a minute, too stunned at what Dan was telling me to comprehend it, and then I thought I had it figured ."

"So, your father wouldn't mind, but your mother would?"

"Dad just shut down when I brought the subject up. My mother... well, she wasn't exactly upset, but I could tell that she wasn't happy, but like she said back when, any religion that made me happy was fine with her. I'd like to see what things are like at your church, I guess. I like to go into different churches to look at the architecture, but other than nonnie's and papa's funerals, I've never been in that kind of church during a regular service. I didn't tell mom, but I like going into her old church just to look at the inside," he chuckled, "She might worry that I plan to convert. She says things have most likely changed since her school days there, but she's not willing to give it another chance."

"Well, as long as it's alright with your folks that I come over tonight I'll be happy to. And Dan, like I said, if this is going to cause a problem, I won't bring it up again. I just hope that she doesn't mind the fact that I'm a different religion."

Dan looked at me, amused, "She married out of her church, and so did her best friend. She didn't say anything about it one way or the other. She's always told me that people have the right to be whatever religion they love, and love whomever they love, and no one should tell them otherwise."

"So... did your mother convert? I don't mean to be nosy, I'm just curious."

"No. She calls herself a... theist-agnostic. Did I say that right?" he asked with a frown as he tried to remember.

"I guess," I replied, uncertainty, making a mental note to look it up when I was done talking to Dan. I'd heard the word 'agnostic', but I wasn't sure of the exact meaning. I'd never heard of a 'theist-agnostic'.

"Ok, sure, what time should I come over?"

"Hang on a minute ok?"

I didn't have a chance to respond before he called to his mother, asking if it was alright if I visited. I could hear her pleasant laugh as she said, "This is your house too. As long as you don't have any wild parties have anyone over that you like. Tell him dinner is at six if he wants to come. We're having a roast."

I laughed as well and told him that I'd heard her and that I'd love to go over for dinner. I looked at my wall clock and saw that I had more than enough time to take a shower and perhaps stop by a liquor store for a nice bottle of wine.

"See you at six then, or whenever you want to show up is fine," he added hastily.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. See you soon, hon," I grinned.

"See you soon," he replied just before he hung up.

It was then that I realized that he'd never called me anything other than my name, and I wondered if he felt the same about me as I did about him.

Pushing that little insecurity aside for the moment, I went to my laptop and typed in the words 'theist-agnostic'. The definition made me laugh. Whoever had written the article had definitely had a sense of humor.

I thought about that definition as I took my shower, then put it aside while I dressed in jeans and a polo shirt before I headed out. I knew exactly which wine would go nicely with a roast, picked up a large box of chocolates and a bottle of sparkling cider and went to Dan's house where I was greeted once again with smiles, and thanked profusely for the gifts. She put the bottle on ice and brought out small wine glasses, setting them next to each plate. Even Freddie's, which confused me a little. I wondered if she was actually going to give her 14-year-old son a glass of wine but put that thought aside as well for the time being.

Dan, Freddie and I took turns on their game system while we waited for dinner to be ready. The scent was making my mouth water so I was more than happy to turn it off and head to the kitchen. I politely held Mrs. Johnson's chair as she sat. From her dismayed expression, I could tell that she didn't normally get that kind of treatment. "Thank you," she said, sounding a little surprised. 

"Don't get used to that," came a relatively deep voice from her right. It was her husband whom I hadn't heard speak more than one word in all the time I'd been visiting Dan.

I looked at her husband, startled that he'd say something like that to his own wife, but I could see the glimmer of humor in his eyes, matched by his wife's as she replied, "Oh, don't worry, I won't, and don't you get used to eating every night. Now, why don't you slice the roast, it could be your last meal for a while."

"As you wish," he said as he proceeded to do as his wife had suggested.

I looked back and forth between the two of them. They hadn't really looked at each other much throughout that dry exchange, but there was an expression on both of their faces, mild, almost too mild to see, of amusement, which was vastly at odds with their words. 

I was distracted by Freddie who immediately grabbed the bowl filled with roasted potatoes and gave himself a generous helping before passing the bowl to Dan, who took a more human portion before passing it to me. I looked at what was left with a worried expression.

"Oh, don't worry, Jonah, we're potato fiends. I always make extra," Mrs. Johnson said with a grin, "take as much as you want and I'll refill the bowl."

I could smell the subtle spices and garlic with which she'd seasoned them and took a large spoonful before offering to refill the bowl for her.

"That's nice of you!" she said, sounding surprised once again, "I put them in the oven to keep warm. Let's just empty this one first, alright?"

After she and her husband had taken their share I gladly refilled the bowl and then sat down to eat the fragrant slices of roast that her husband had put on my plate for me. Mixed vegetables were passed around in the same manner with the lady of the house assuring me that there was plenty and not to worry if I wanted more. The rolls were still hot and the softened butter melted quickly on them. She'd also put out a jar of jam in case anyone wanted that for the rolls. Not surprisingly, Freddie immediately asked for the jar and put a spoonful on his heavily buttered roll before shoving the whole thing into his mouth.

"Freddie..." his mother said, letting the rest of the sentence trail off as she gave her youngest 'the look'. He apologized, not looking the least apologetic, and grinned before tackling the portion of roast he'd been given.

Dan got up and poured the wine giving everyone a half glass. Except for Freddie whose glass he filled with the sparkling cider. The boy didn't seem to mind in the least and drank the cider so fast that Dan hadn't even had the chance to reseat himself before his little brother asked him for more.

I noticed that Dan only ate one thing at a time, while the rest of his family put as much on their plates of each different type of food as would fit... except for Angie who took small portions and took her time eating it. Freddie unashamedly asked for the bowl of potatoes and put another large portion onto his plate, chewing happily.

It wasn't until later, after Freddie had disappeared into his room and the rest of us were sitting around the table chatting and having coffee, or in Daniel's case, iced tea, that he brought up the subject of religion.

"Not now, Daniel," his father said tiredly, cradling his head in one of his hands.

I could see his mother stiffen up slightly as she took another sip of her coffee. She wouldn't look at anyone and I could see her jawline tighten up.

"Maybe it's not a good time, Dan," I said softly.

"Danny told me that he wanted to visit your church with you," his mother said quietly, stressing the word 'visit', "if that's what he wants to do then that's what he should do. My own experiences back in the dark ages have nothing to do with the church now. I'm sure that things have changed since then."

Quietly, and as politely as I could, I asked her if she'd be willing to share some of her experiences with me so that I could understand better. At first, she wouldn't speak, but I asked her again. She looked at her husband who shrugged and took his coffee into the living room where we could hear the sounds of the game system being turned on.

I sat quietly while she told me about a few of her experiences. My heart hurt for her, for the little girl she had been, as she recited each heart-rending episode in a detached tone, looking down at her cup of coffee as she did so.

"I had problems that no one knew about, or didn't care about," she shrugged. "There's no sense reliving it, eh?" she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Honestly, Mrs. Johnson, things really are a lot different now. They're not like that anymore."

"I'm sure they're not," she replied with a wan smile, "I'm just not willing to give them the chance. Eighteen years of that was more then enough," she tried to laugh, "anyway, Dan, if you want to go, go ahead. I'm not going to stop you if it's something you really want to do."

"Are you sure, mom?" Dan asked anxiously.

"You're an adult, it's your choice. Would you like more coffee, Jonah?"

"No, thank you. I have to get going soon. I have to get there early if I want to open on time," I explained to my Daniel with a smile so that he'd know that his mother hadn't upset me, "and I need to get some sleep."

She took me by the hand at the door as I was getting ready to leave. She pulled me forward and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before wishing me a goodnight and heading toward her own bedroom.

Once again, Dan gave me a handshake goodnight and watched to make sure I got off alright before closing the door.


	11. Chapter 11

Daniel and Jonah Part 11  
Part 11

It was a couple more weeks before Dan accompanied me to my church. Usually, I'd sit next to my parents, but this time I sat in the pews near the side exit, with Dan at my side. I sat upright as I'd been taught and waited for the entrance processional.

Once we were all seated again, I jumped slightly as the preacher shouted, "Sin! Sin! We are all sinners!" he proclaimed, "There is not one man, woman, or child here who is not guilty of sin. We are born sinners!" 

He then segued into the Ten Commandments, paying special attention to the sixth, which, he said, included premarital sex, and homosexuality, not just affairs between married people. That was news to me. It was apparently news to others in the congregation as well as many of them turned to the person next to them, whispering questions.

Doom and gloom. Fire and brimstone shot from his eyes. I don't know what had gotten into him while he'd been composing his sermon but my stomach dropped when I glanced over at Dan, his face and body were rigid with anger. He had put a hand over his face and was shaking his head.

"And the worst sin," the so-called man of God said looking directly at Daniel, "is not listening to your curate in church."

When he opened his eyes and saw the robed man glaring at him, Daniel stood up and calmly replied, "Oh, that must be the lost eleventh commandment. Thank you for sharing it with me."

The man's jaw dropped and there was an audible gasp from the congregation. It seemed as though everyone was too shocked to say anything.

His face still a mask, Dan looked at me and quietly said, "You can stay if you like, I won't ask you to leave with me, but I'll be out by the car." With that, he calmly and quietly walked out, carefully not allowing the heavy door to slam shut behind him.

I looked back toward the man who was now glaring at me, but I wasn't intimidated and glared back. I admit to a feeling of pleasure when he lost the staring contest and went back to his sermon. I was torn. I didn't like the idea of Dan outside by himself waiting for me, but I did want to stay until the end of the service so that I could have a few words with the man. I knew that this was going to be my last Sunday spent in this church.

I also knew that my parents, who were sitting in their usual place, sixth pew, center, were going to have a few things to say to me about Dan's behavior. I glanced over and saw that they were stunned. My mother shot me a look, half anger, half inquiry, which I answered with a bland expression before turning my attention once again to the orator who assured the congregation that nothing we could do would ever be good enough to get us into heaven.

"Admittance to heaven requires perfect faith," he began, "the only ideal of perfection to walk this earth was Jesus. To strive for perfection, to believe that you are perfect or ever can be, means that you believe that you can be like Jesus himself, and that's blasphemy," he continued. The fire and brimstone flared from his eyes and lit up the church.

He paused dramatically while the church members gasped and whispers began to echo. What the hell was wrong with this guy today? seemed to be the question of the day. 

Many of the younger members stood quietly and left. I saw more than one parent grab at their child's arm to pull them back but the hands were shrugged off and the youngsters, mostly teens but many twenty and thirty-somethings, continued on their way to the main doors at the back of the church. The last one out had no problem allowing the heavy wooden door to slam shut behind him... may, in fact, have assisted with the loud, resounding boom that followed.

Even some of the older members shifted in their seats, debating whether they wanted to follow the youngsters.  
I glanced over at my parents and their mouths were slightly open, their eyes wide as they stared in disbelief at the man while they processed what he had just said.

"If anyone else would like to leave, I'll be happy to excommunicate them," he said, as though he was granting a favor.

The older members sat still.

One man who looked to be in his fifties stood up and said, "Well, if we're all doomed to hell no matter what we do, then there's no point in coming here, is there? Have fun in your empty church," he said as he walked out.

I'd also had enough. I had no idea what had gotten into the man but it was clear to me that trying to talk to him after the service would be pointless, so I stood and left. I deliberately didn't look at my parents.

It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day and Dan was lying on the grass next to where we had parked. His arms were pillowing his head, and his right leg was crossed over his left. He seemed very content, and I wondered if he might actually have fallen asleep. I knelt down beside him and called his name gently. He opened one eye and smiled at me. "Did church end early?" he asked, "I saw a bunch of people leaving."

"For a lot of us, it did," I replied. "Dan, I'm sorry, it's not usually like that, I swear."

"It's weird," Dan said conversationally, closing his eye and lying back once more, "my mother said that this is exactly what would happen. She said she just had a gut feeling. Even the sermon was exactly what she said it was going to be and suggested that I not come today."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as I tilted my face toward the sun. We relaxed there while I listened to car doors opening and closing, cars starting and pulling out of the parking lots. I didn't hear one horn or shout, not even the sound of car radios being turned on. Soon I realized that the background noise of cars was gone and had been replaced with the sounds of birds, and the slight wind stirring the leaves on the trees. I opened my eyes and saw that the lot was completely empty, save for my car and us.


	12. Daniel and Jonah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sailing, takes me away...

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 12

A few days later I called Dan to ask him to request the next Saturday off, which he did, and his request was granted.

"I'll pick you up at about eight o'clock in the morning, is that alright?"

"That's fine," he replied, "what will we be doing?"

"It's a surprise," I answered mysteriously, "but I'm hoping you'll love it. You'll just need to bring sunglasses, and some warm gloves and clothes, ok?"

"Why do we need warm clothes?" he asked, obviously very confused since it was only August and pretty warm.

"Please, just humor me, hon," I grinned, "you won't regret it."

"Ok," he replied dubiously, which nearly made me laugh, "how heavy? Like, winter stuff?"

"Well, at least the gloves, a fall-weight jacket should be enough, and definitely jeans, or maybe even sweatpants."

"In August?" he asked. I could hear the confusion and doubt in his tone.

"Yep. Trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then just do as I ask you to do. We're going to have a blast."

When Saturday rolled around I called ahead to let him know I was on my way and was greeted with a smile as I pulled up in front of his house where he'd been waiting for me.

He slid into the passenger seat before buckling up, asking me once again where we were going as he positioned a gym bag between his feet. It was very warm, and I didn't blame him one bit for not wanting to wear the heavier clothing all day.

"I'd really like for it to be a surprise, Dan if that's ok with you. I'm just really hoping you'll like it. I think you will," I continued, a little more confidently.

He couldn't help but notice what was going on as we pulled into the parking lot an hour later, and he began to bounce a little in his seat, looking up with awe and excitement as the gliders flew like large birds in the sky.

"We're going to do this? What's it called?" he asked.

"We're going to go tandem hang gliding. I'll explain everything to you once we get our gear set up," I grinned.

He had no problem seeking out the main office and took off like a shot before remembering that he was with me. He grinned, a little embarrassed, came back to take my hand and we approached the office a little more slowly. But not too slowly, I noted. I went to use the men's room and suggested to Dan that he do the same before we got started.

Once our gear had been set up on the landing strip and checked by a safety inspector we were ready to go.

Dan looked at the glider, unable to speak for the moment. I loved the expression on his face, happy, near tears, astounded as he looked up at the whole thing. I had paid a friend of mine to paint the sails to look like a bird's wings. 

Once he got his breath back, I smiled and began to explain everything to Dan as I began to buckle him up into the harness and adjusted his goggles, which I fitted comfortably over his sunglasses, and helmet before doing the same for myself. I attached the two of us to the glider, then the glider to a lead attached to the plane which was waiting to help us with lift-off.

"The plane will do the hard work, then it's all fun from there," I grinned. "Don't forget to put on your gloves. It does get a little chilly up that high," I reminded him. Again, I nearly laughed as I saw his look of doubt as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He did as he was told, however, and I gave the pilot the clear sign.

"Hold onto me, hon!" I called as the plane began to taxi and we began to move, speeding up little by little. I prayed that he would enjoy this experience but was prepared to land immediately if it was too much for him. 

Once we were airborne I detached the tow line, but then I heard him scream. At first, I thought he was afraid and started to gently move the bar out to land when I heard him shout, "This is fantastic! Whooo hooooo! Can we go higher?" he shouted.

With a grin, I pulled the bar inward and we swooped up. Daniel screamed again followed by laughter as he took his hands off of my waist.

"I can't believe I'm flying!" he shouted, "I'm really flying!"

"Want to try the controls?" I shouted back to him.

"Nope!" he shouted back, "I'm more than happy to let you do all the hard work! I just wanna fly!"

It wasn't until we viewed the video I'd taken that I saw that he'd closed his eyes. On his face had been an expression of pure bliss. I wanted him to feel that way as often as possible and made plans to not only take him gliding again as soon as possible, but to bring him outside to experience things he'd missed out on when he'd been younger, an easy target for bullies, shy, introverted, and only willing to go out at night when most other people were already asleep.


	13. Daniel and Jonah

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 13

In September I drove Dan, his mother, and his little brother out to the Medieval Fair that he'd been talking about for weeks. While he and Freddie had tried to dress as much in period costume as they could it was obvious that they just didn't have the money for full costumes. They looked great, however, and I told them as much. It was worth it to see the huge smiles on their faces. Angie just wore jeans, sneakers, and a tee shirt, as did I. Dan had wanted me to dress up but being unfamiliar with the whole thing I'd decided to stay casual. He'd seemed disappointed at first but was thrilled to be going at all and didn't press the matter.

It was fascinating to see how many people were there, and how many were wearing period costumes. Some were very intricate, others, like Dan and Freddie, made do with what they had on hand. Maybe I was biased, but I thought that Dan and his brother had done a better job of it.

Freddie ran off with his mother in tow while Dan and I proceeded at a somewhat more sedate pace. He wanted to make sure that I saw everything.

We stopped at a stall and ordered some homemade, real mead, ate mutton for lunch, and watched a jousting competition which was more of the combatants trying to catch a small metal ring on their lances rather than actually running at each other. We watched a play and acrobats, and I took a picture of Dan surrounded by knights.

Dan had apparently been saving up his money and bought gifts for everyone he knew, including a really beautiful incense burner in the shape of a dragon for his mother. All in all, it was a fun and full day. I nearly laughed when Freddie, holding a very well made wooden sword, and shield, fell asleep on the drive back home. I could only imagine what he'd put his mother through that day. Angie looked tired but happy, and that made me happy as well.

That night she insisted that I stay over for dinner, roasted chicken, and mashed potatoes to which she'd added shredded cheddar cheese and which tasted amazing.

As I was getting ready to leave, she thanked me once again for taking them to the fair and gave me a kiss on the cheek before going into her bedroom.

Dan stopped me at the door and nervously gave me a little blue felt bag. When I began to open it he made me stop.

"Open it in the car, ok?" he requested shyly. Once again, I could tell that he was worried that I wouldn't like whatever it was he'd gotten me and was afraid of my reaction, so I agreed even though I knew I'd love whatever it was because it had come from him.

He saw me to the door, took my hand to shake as usual but then pulled me forward slightly so that he could give me a kiss on my cheek, as his mother had. He was blushing furiously and I could see that he was worried about how I'd react.

Once I got over my surprise, I smiled and then asked if I could kiss him back. "Only on the cheek, if that's what you want, I promise," I reassured him.

He tentatively presented his cheek, which I kissed gently, allowing it to linger just a moment. When I drew back, I could see that he was blushing again, this time with pleasure. With another shy smile, he opened the door for me. As usual, he waited to make sure I got into my car and that it started before he closed the door.

Eagerly I turned on the interior light of my car and opened the little bag. Inside was a chain and a wrought iron pendant in the shape of a sword. It was a beautifully made piece and I admired it for quite some time before I finally put it around my neck. I drove home with my heart so full that I was sure it would burst from happiness.


	14. Daniel and Jonah

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 14

I wasn't able to see him for a couple of weeks, which just about killed me, but I did own a used bookstore, and part of my job was to run around to estate and garage sales, looking for suitable and readable material for the people who frequented my cafe.

I had asked Dan if he wanted to go to one with me but he politely declined. He didn't give me a reason, but I was pretty sure it was because we'd be in a new place, surrounded by what could turn out to be a large number of strange people, and I could completely understand his discomfort since I often felt the same way, but business was business.

After a few fruitless stops at which I'd bought perhaps five books tops, I was beginning to lose heart. My last stop was at an estate sale, and as expected, there were quite a collection of people browsing, exclaiming loudly as they came across one treasure or another.

I put on my headsets and put some music on to tune the excess noise out, and began to browse, hoping to find at least one book which I began to think wasn't going to happen since every shelf that looked as though it might have held a book at one point was empty. I took a close look at the large, heavy, mahogany antique shelf that they'd been on and told the owner I'd take it.

With a smile, he took my money and put a sold sign on it.

"You wouldn't happen to have any books, would you?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes, sir," he answered as he pointed to a pile of boxes that were stood in a corner not far from the shelf. I thanked him and began to go through them. My stomach dropped a little as I took in the condition of several of them, the spines cracked and curling off or missing entirely. I looked into those, turning the yellowed pages carefully as I looked for edition dates. 

As fast as I'd experienced that sinking feeling, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest as I realized that many of them were first editions dating back from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, and while some were in poor condition, others which had probably been tightly pressed between other books were in near perfect condition.

I knew that the damaged books would be worth next to nothing despite being first editions due to how beat up they were and I knew I could get a good deal on them from the estate. They were only good enough to be put in my blue-tinted, glassed-in display case, never meant to be sold, others, I knew I could repair, even though their value would go down since they wouldn't be the original bindings, but I didn't usually sell my books for outrageous amounts of money in the first place, and I was sure that the people who looked for such books would be pleased that they wouldn't have to pay an arm and a leg for them, as they would have in some other stores, original bindings or not.

I'd only glanced through a few books when a feeling came over me and I bought all of the boxes of books, sight unseen to go through later.

The owner, for lack of a better word for him, had been sitting beside a beautiful mahogany roll top desk upon which he'd been keeping track of what was selling and for how much. When I asked to buy the desk and chair as well, he looked stunned but gratefully took my money while asking some of his associates to please help me get the merchandise to my moving truck which already had a few treasures from other sales inside. The bookshelf was rather large and heavy but we managed to maneuver it onto the lift and into the truck where they helped me cover and tie it tightly to prevent damage, then again with the desk. My heart was jumping wildly at my last two purchases. I knew that I'd have had to pay a small fortune for those same things online.

The men saw me grinning, and only smiled as they refused to take money for their help, and disappeared back into the old house, waving over their shoulders before I lost sight of them.

A few of my workers agreed to meet me at the store to carry the shelving and other items in since I knew that there was no way I was getting it in there by myself. Even with the four of us, we were still sweating like horses by the time we got it all inside and placed safely in a spot where no one could miss it when they walked in. It was definitely a conversation piece. We sat and had a hearty lunch and several bottles of iced tea. When the conversation finally died down, I paid them OT, thanked them profusely, and sent them on their way.

After they left I put on my gloves to keep my natural oils from ruining any of the good books, and unpacked the boxes. I found the usual array of dime-store novels that one would find in any run of the mill store. I found paperbacks, fantasies, biographies... except for a few of the biographies, the rest were a little disappointing and I logged them into my ledger before putting them aside according to their genre, and continued digging.

The further down I went, the more excited I became. Unlike the first box, the older treasures were buried below, and once again I was looking at many first editions... Moby Dick, Great Expectations... I thought my heart was going to jump out of my mouth I was so thrilled. I became aware of the fact that I was talking to myself as I pulled each book out. No one was around to hear me so I spoke as loudly as I wanted to in the empty store. I admit that I did feel a little foolish, but it felt good to get it all out, even if it was only to myself.

"Why would they put classics in with bodice rippers?" I exclaimed to no one. "And why didn't I go through the boxes before I bought the damned things. Ah well, hindsight and all that crap," I griped. I sighed and continued on my treasure hunt. I was not disappointed.

The more boxes I opened the more excited I became. The last two boxes contained several first editions of very old books. I was amazed at the near-perfect condition. The pages were a little yellowed on the edges, but the spines, while slightly creased as any well-read book would be, were intact and supple, and I eagerly searched through to see what other gems I might come across.

Melville, Crane, Whitman, Twain... all first editions, again, some in better condition than others, but these I was determined to repair and sell since they weren't as deteriorated as some of the others. I already knew some people who would want them. When I came across a copy of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain that was autographed I thought my heart was going to stop altogether. This was definitely a keeper.

I debated with myself whether or not I should list the book in my catalog among the few under the heading Not For Sale but then realized that I had to for insurance reasons. I dutifully added the book to my log, wrapped it in blue cellophane, and put it aside with the other classics.

I couldn't help but grin at the last book I took from the box. First edition. Amazing condition considering its age. I flipped through the yellowed pages and saw that there was not a single one that had been dog-eared, no stains, even the pages themselves were in good condition and I wondered how on earth a book this old had managed to scrape through without the usual signs of age, though I did notice that the paper was a bit thicker than normal. I was glad that no one was there to see me because I had the feeling that my grin would have put the Joker to shame.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't say Trick or treat, You'll never know which one you'll get.

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 15

The days and weeks flew by and before I knew it Halloween was suddenly upon us, and Dan and his little brother were excited. Technically, at the age of sixteen, Freddie was a little too old to trick or treat, but that didn't stop him, or many other kids his age from doing it as well.

Mrs. Johnson had been stressed a few weeks before, wondering if she'd be able to afford candy to give out, and I could tell that she was sad because they didn't have the money to go out and buy new costumes, but it seemed that Dan had a little arsenal of costumes from years past, and he promised he'd share what he had with Freddie.

On Halloween night I arrived at the house dressed as Dracula. Dan and I hadn't discussed costumes or the idea of going out with similar ones, so I'd just bought the first thing that I found in my size. We'd also agreed that I could bring my nieces and nephews

When we arrived, Mrs. Johnson admired their costumes as she held out a bowl filled with full-sized candy bars, telling them to take two of their favorites each.

She grinned widely when she saw me and shook my hand instead of kissing me as she usually did. 

"I don't want to mess up your makeup," she explained, "Dan is upstairs getting ready if you want to go and see him," she said pleasantly before going to answer the knock on the door. I had to grin when I heard all the little voices shout, 'Trick or treat!'

"Uncle Jonah, when are we going out?" my seven-year-old niece, Samara, pouted.

"Soon," I assured her, "we just have to wait for Freddie and Dan."  
'  
As I said that, Freddie came out wearing knee-length black boots, pants, and shirt, with a cloak that billowed behind him as he walked. His hair was, if anything, longer than the last time I'd seen it. At first, I worried about him going out wearing all black but then he showed the kids his 'old-fashioned' (LED) lantern, which gave off a lot of light. They all admired it and Freddie proudly showed them how it worked before handing out three more. 

I let them be for the time being while I went upstairs to find my Daniel. When I got to his door I was just about to knock when I heard him making funny sounds and laughing oddly. I wondered what he was doing and peeked in through the partially open door.

He was standing in front of a full-length mirror on his wall, trying on various hats and headpieces, making silly sounds and faces at himself. It took all of my self-control not to laugh out loud. He was so unbelievably cute and I knew that not only would he be embarrassed that I'd seen him like that, but he'd have burst into flames if I'd called him cute to his face. 

Instead, I walked back down the stairs as quietly as I could and called up to him, asking him if he was ready. I suppressed a chuckle as I heard him scrambling around a bit as he answered, somewhat breathlessly, "On my way!"

Dan looked great. Freddie was dressed as what he called a necromancer, and Dan put on a 'bloody' shirt and a zombie mask, shuffling behind Fred and groaning, happily acting as his sidekick.

My nieces and nephews were a little taken aback at first, but it turned out that they all got along great with Dan, and Freddie, who seemed to have a lot of the same interests, including online, interactive games. They made plans to add each other to their friends' lists and play together as soon as possible.

After the kids had gone to every open house we ended up at Johnny's where the kids and I gratefully accepted large glasses of mulled cider. Once again, Dan accepted a beer but he made sure to request water after that, which made me smile in approval. We stayed for about an hour until the last of the trick or treaters left before we said our goodbyes. I'd had a fantastic time and I could see that Big Johnny and his kids truly loved Dan, which made me love them.

"I'm hungry," Freddie complained as he rummaged through his sack of candy, most of which had been given to him by Johnny and his wife who always gave extra candy to their 'specials'.

"Why don't we order pizza, watch some movies?" I asked, looking at Dan to see what he thought.

Freddie immediately perked up, dropped the candy that was in his hand back into the sack, and looked at me. 

"Pizza?" 

"Movies?" one of my nephews asked, unintentionally mirroring Fred.

"Dan?" I mentally kicked myself for saying that aloud before finding out definitely that it was ok with him, but he only smiled and nodded as we strolled casually back toward his house.

"Both," I agreed with a grin, "my treat on the pizza."

"I want pepperoni!" my nephew Brian shouted happily.

"Yeah, pepperoni is great!" Samara agreed.

"Sausage!" suggested my niece Gaby, bouncing on her toes.

"Green pepper and mushrooms!" Mark and Diana chimed in, "Jinx!" they both cried at the same time. Mark looked at me imploringly.

Teasingly I said, "Diana. Diana. Diana."

Diana grinned and let out a simple, self-satisfied, "Ha!"

"Olive!" said Freddie.

The other kids looked at Fred as if he'd grown two heads. 

"Olive!? Pizza? Yuck!" Diana replied, making a face.

"Don't knock it until you try it," Freddie replied with a somewhat evil grin.

"I guess it can't be any worse than you dipping your pizza in ranch dressing," Brian teased. Diana stuck her tongue out at him.

"Or anchovies..." Mark shuddered theatrically, forgetting that he wasn't supposed to speak until someone said his name.

"Or pineapple..." added Gaby, wrinkling her nose.

That statement began a debate that lasted until we reached Dan's house where it seemed as though it might be turning into a full-fledged argument.

"Enough, for now, guys," I said sternly, letting them know that the disagreement had gone on long enough.

I turned to Dan and said with a smile, "Why don't you go and pick out a few movies and I'll order the pizza."

"I want to go at least half on the bill," he replied.

I began to argue and then stopped, thinking that I'd come up with a suitable solution, "Ok, but I don't think you should pay half, since there are so many more of us."

Dan's brow wrinkled and he looked as though he were about to argue when I explained, "There are six of us and only two of you. It doesn't seem quite fair for you to pay for half."

"If it had been my treat I would have paid the entire bill, but you beat me to it. I'd never ask you to pay or pay more just because there are more of you, so I don't believe that your suggestion is appropriate," he replied. His jaw was set, his lips tightly pressed together, and he refused to look at me.

Even though Dan was fair complected where his mother was more olive, I could immediately see the resemblance between the two of them, and I gave in, reluctantly.

"You're right, Dan, I guess it wasn't fair of me to make that suggestion."

"Hey," I said, trying to make things better, "Freddie can help us pick out the movies, you order the pizza and sodas, and we'll figure the tab out once you get a total."

"Ok," he agreed, his body relaxing slightly as he went to a kitchen drawer for a menu.

Despite the noise the kids were making I could hear him as he ordered the pizza. He ordered everything the kids had requested, and eight bottles of soda. I didn't say anything though I knew that there was no way the eight of us would be able to drink that much soda. 

We watched Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas, which the kids enjoyed immensely, and despite my doubts, we did manage to drink all but one of the bottles of soda. The kids were allowed to take any of their favorite leftover pizza home with them, though there wasn't much of that either.

I dropped them off at their houses, went home, and took a shower, laughing at myself because I was sure I'd be washing white makeup and red blood stains off of my face for the rest of the week. I finally settled into bed and dozed off with a smile on my face as I thought about the night, and the prospect of seeing Dan again soon.


	16. Daniel and Jonah

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 16

The following Thanksgiving, I was invited to dinner at the Johnson's. When I asked if I could bring anything, Angie, in her usual fashion replied, "Just bring yourself, that's plenty."

I knew from past dinners at their house that there would be more food than one family could eat in one day, but I'd been brought up never to go empty-handed when invited to someone's house, so I asked Dan what a typical Thanksgiving dinner at his house looked like. As expected, his mother had thought of everything. Despite that, I thought long and hard and finally came up with an idea I thought the family might like. I spent two nights hard at work making a selection of cookies and brought the laden tray to the door.

Once again, Freddie, shirtless, answered, peeking around the door at me with his usual grin. When he saw the tray of cookies his eyes widened. Cold weather and no shirt notwithstanding, he came into full view and relieved me of the tray, which I was sure he was going to drop. To my surprise he made it into the kitchen without mishap, immediately untied the bow holding the covering of orange-red cellophane together, and grabbed a cookie before his mother could stop him.

She advanced on Fred with her hand raised but instead of looking the least bit scared, the boy grabbed another cookie with an impish grin and ran to his room.

"Put on a shirt while you're up there!" his mother called to him as she took the tray, restored it to its original condition, minus the two cookies, and put it more securely on the counter. She looked up and me and grinned, much like her youngest son had, and said, "He's spoiled. Not my fault! I blame his father. Mostly because Seb's not here to defend himself," she laughed, "thank you for the cookies!" she added as she drew me into a bear hug.

I could tell now where Dan got his hugging skill from and I happily hugged her back.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "the turkey!"

"Let me help, Angie," I grinned as I released her.

Dan came in just then and gathered me in another bear hug. I smiled when his mother said fondly, "His nonnie always said he was the best hugger."

"Yep," I agreed, "he definitely is."

As though to prove me wrong, Freddie, finally in a shirt, came up behind me and tried to get his arms around both Dan and me, his head tucked firmly between us. He had grown quite tall, nearly as tall as his big brother. I tousled his unkempt mass of hair and smiled down at him. He scowled back at me and brushed his hand through his hair as though it would somehow become neat before turning toward the living room to play on his PS four.

I half expected his mother to say something, to tell him to do a chore or something, but she merely turned toward the oven to baste the turkey while Dan busied himself washing the used bowls and utensils. Once the table was clear Dan opened a drawer and took out a tablecloth. It was clean, but obviously well used. He began to unfold it and handed one end to me. After we put the cloth down he handed me plates to put out while he gathered up utensils and we set the table. It suddenly dawned on me that I was doing everything in unison, as though I'd been doing it my whole life. I felt totally at home and couldn't suppress a grin.

One by one, we put out platters and bowls of food. His mother hadn't been kidding when she'd told me that they were potato fiends. There were three different styles of potato on the table and I wondered if there would be room for anything else. I had nothing to fear, however, as Dan called Fred, then went to retrieve his father from wherever he'd been, and his mother placed the most delicious looking turkey I'd ever seen at the center of the table. As his father carved the turkey I could hear the skin crackle, and more than once Freddie had to be told to keep his hands off.

I personally had no problem with the Johnson family having all the skin. It had never been my favorite part of the bird, to begin with, but Dan encouraged me to take just a bit and so I did to please him. 

My eyes widened in surprise. It was good. It was really good! I glanced at my plate, then Dan's, then mine again. He took the hint and gave me a little more with a huge grin. I closed my eyes as I bit into the crispy, seasoned piece. I didn't realize that I'd made any sound until Freddie piped up, "Yep! It's that good!" before crunching down on the pieces on his own plate.

He then took a hearty portion of the mashed potatoes, and one half of a twice-baked potato. I had to chuckle when I saw him ignore the sweet potatoes altogether.

"Thanks, Freddie-boy!" his mother cheered as she took one from the plate which was noticeably fuller than the others, "more for me!" I had the feeling that Mrs. Johnson... Angie... was the only one in the family who liked them, and I saw her pleased expression as I took one as well.

"Finally, someone with good taste!" she joked.

"You put sour cream on your baked potatoes, so I don't know if you're qualified to determine what's good taste or not," Seb said with a sideways glance at his wife.

Without missing a beat she replied, "Well, I married you, that should have been your first warning signal."

I'm pretty sure that my expression told all as I glanced back and forth between them. They never yelled, but yet they also never seemed to have a kind word for each other.

Angie gave me a soft smack on my arm. "Don't let us fool you, we kind of like each other, more or less," she said blandly, "right, Seb?"

"Yeah, I guess," he shrugged before taking another bite of his dinner.

Angie winked at me and began to eat her own dinner, unashamedly taking the sour cream and adding a large dollop on her second baked potato before cutting into it and humming with pleasure as she took a bite.

Later on, after Freddie had disappeared into his room, and his parents had gone to lie down in their bedroom for a bit after the cleanup, I took Dan aside and asked him, "Look, it's none of my business, but... I'm dying to know... if they really can't stand each other why do they stay together?"  
Dan grinned, rolled his eyes, and winked, "Be grateful that you don't have to hear them at night when they think everyone's asleep. C'mon, let's watch a movie before you have to leave," he suggested as he led me by the hand into the living room.

We sat on the couch, nibbling on the cookies that were left after Freddie had finally decided he'd had enough, and watched a movie until I realized that Dan had fallen asleep. I moved as gently as I could so that I wouldn't wake him, propped his head on a pillow, and covered him with the blanket that was there. I turned off the television, left Dan a note that I'd talk to him tomorrow, and one for his folks, thanking them for a lovely night before I let myself out and headed home.

***********************

We spent Christmas at my parent's house. I'd warned Dan that things could become very loud and asked him if he'd be ok with that. " I guess," he replied uncertainly, "it depends on how loud everyone is, I suppose."

"And don't be surprised if any of my aunts come to you to pinch your cheeks. It's just something they do, it's just a friendly thing, ok? They won't hurt you."

He'd nodded his head and we continued on our way.

Even though I'd told my family that Daniel was autistic and what to look out for, and told everyone to try to be a little more quiet than usual, Christmas was unbelievable. It seemed as though every member of the family was there. All of my brothers and sisters, and all of their kids, aunts and uncles and cousins, and half of the neighborhood had no problem dropping in to say Merry Christmas, leaving behind a stack of fruitcakes that even the birds wouldn't eat afterward.

I could tell that he felt overwhelmed, not only by the sheer number of people but by the noise level, so we went outside for a walk before dinner, which my mother promised would be exactly at two PM and not to be late or else.

I laughed at the ultimatum. Even with that many people in the house, going without having any dinner was not a possibility, 

"I don't want you to miss out on dinner just because of me," Dan said worriedly.

"No one is going to miss out on anything, hon," I assured him, "my mother is like yours and makes enough to feed the neighborhood during the holidays. Even if we only got leftovers there'd be so much that we'd be full before we got to the pies, cakes, and cookies," I laughed.

Dan glanced at his watch and then back toward my house nervously. We still had over an hour, but I knew that dinner would be even noisier than it was now. I saw the frown crease his forehead as he turned away and stared at the sidewalk as we moved along.

"I don't..." he began, "Jonah... I don't... think I can..." he stammered.

I hugged him around the shoulders and he leaned into me. I loved that we'd gotten to the point where I could touch him without him drawing back, but I felt bad at the same time. I now understood why even holiday dinner at his house consisted of only him and his immediate family. And myself, I added, feeling both proud to be included in that number, and a bit saddened that there were only the six of us now.

Suddenly an idea struck and I led him toward the little plaza that was near my folks' house. Thankfully the supermarket was still open so I pulled him inside even though the sign on the door said they closed in ten minutes. I ignored the somewhat disgruntled looks we got as we ran through the store to the health needs aisle. Luckily I found what I was looking for and led a confused looking Daniel through the checkout with five minutes to spare.

"Here," I said with a grin, "for when we get back to the house..."

He took the little bits of foam rubber out of my hands and looked at me as though I'd gone completely crazy.

"What are these?" he asked curiously.

"Earplugs," I answered with a huge grin. I remembered reading that some people with autism have an enhanced sense of hearing, and all of that noise in my folks' house must have sounded like the middle of a big city street at rush hour. I'd read something about sensory overload and I didn't want my Daniel to be uncomfortable in any way. If it was only the noise level and not the logjam of people there, then hopefully these would help.

"When we get back to the house, just roll these up a little bit and put one in each ear. It should help decrease the volume, and you'll be more comfortable. And if you're not," I continued before he could ask, "we'll eat, clear our plates and say our goodbyes, ok?"

"Ok," he agreed with a smile. He allowed me to put my arm around him and we walked back home. We could hear the noise from the house more than half a block away and I wondered why none of the neighbors had called to complain about the racket yet.

Just before we walked in I handed Dan the two plugs and he put them in his ears. I could see the relief on his face as the din was diminished even by a little. 

We were greeted by one of my aunts as we walked in. "There you are!" she cried as she scooped me up into a hug, "I thought you guys had left!"

"Nope, auntie, just took a walk," I explained, hugging her back.

Her eyes focused on Dan and her expression changed from happiness to pity. "So, is this the retarded kid you're going out with? Hi," she continued, speaking slowly and drawing her words out as though Dan couldn't understand otherwise, "my name is Millie. Miiiilllllliiiiieeeee. And your name is Daniel? It's nice to meet you," she said slowly, as though he wouldn't understand her if she spoke normally.

I could feel his body stiffen up under my arm and when I looked at him his mouth was open, his eyes wide with disbelief. I realized that I was probably wearing much the same expression before I turned on her, my eyes narrowed, and I knew that I was gritting my teeth. I wished that the earplugs had been strong enough so that he wouldn't have had to hear that. I wished that I hadn't had to hear that.

I still managed to speak as I drew Dan closer to my side. I could feel him shaking with anger.  
"Dan is not retarded, Aunt Millie," I replied heatedly, "and the word retarded is offensive. He hears, understands, and speaks English perfectly, so you don't need to talk to him like that. And I'd hazard a guess that he's a hundred times smarter than you are."

"What on earth?!" she exclaimed, "how dare you talk to me like that, Jonah! I'm going to tell your mother!"

I laughed at her last statement and invited her to go ahead but then became deadly serious once again.

"And how dare you speak to Daniel like that, or treat him any differently than you would anyone else in the family!" I demanded, "I dare you to talk like that to dad, or Uncle Bob," I said, referring to her husband, "don't ever disrespect him like that again," I said as I tightened my hold on Dan's shoulders and pulled him away before she could say anything else.

We left her there with her mouth hanging open just as Dan's had been only a moment before. I brought him into my old bedroom where the coats were piled on the bed, moved them over, and sat down with him. He looked about ready to cry as he took the plugs out of his ears.

"Dan," I began, "I'm so sorry..."

"Does your whole family feel that way?" he asked as though the breath had been knocked out of him, "Do they all think I'm..."

"No! No, Dan! Of course not. Aunt Millie doesn't think before she talks. She can be a bit of an idiot. When she asks about my friends she refers to them as 'Your black friend, Jack,' or 'Your Jewish friend, Martin,'. She's in her 80s now and grew up in a whole different time. I'm not saying that what she did was right, not by a long shot," I assured him, "I'm only explaining why she talks and thinks the way she does."

"She's an asshole," Dan said quietly.

I tried not to laugh, "Yeah, she can be. Look," I said more seriously, "if you don't want to stay, I'll understand and we can go back to my place. It won't be ham and everything for dinner, but I'm sure we can scrape something up."

Dan sat and thought about it for a minute before pulling his shoulders back and sitting up straight. Looking me straight in the eyes he shook his head, "No, I'd like to stay. I like your folks and so far no one else has said anything like that to me, I hope they don't think it... can't control it if they do, but I don't want you to miss out on dinner with your family. I can't take you away from that. Besides," he added with a little grin, "that ham smells too good to pass up."

I couldn't help but pull him into a hug. At first, he was a little stiff in my arms from the suddenness of the move, but he returned the hug, tucking his head into the area between my shoulder and neck.

"But if she says anything else stupid I might tell her where to get off, is that ok?" he asked quietly.

"You and me both," I smiled, "you ready to head back out there then?" I asked cautiously.

"Yeah, I'm ready," he smiled as he put the plugs back into his ears.

God, I loved his smile.

I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and led him back out to where the rest of the family was gathered, making sure to keep as much distance between us and my Aunt Millie as available space allowed.

Dinner turned out to be as amazing as it smelled, and luckily Aunt Millie had either taken the hint or was purposely ignoring us. Either way was fine with me and I didn't hear Dan complain about it. Dinner chat was lively, filled with fun and funny stories, many of which had been supplied by Dan himself as he related amusing things from his childhood and even from his job. The story about a woman who looked to be heavily pregnant and suddenly went into labor only to deliver a huge frozen turkey had the lot of us in hysterics.

Later that night, when I dropped him off at home, he invited me in for a little while. His parents and little brother had apparently gone out for the holiday to visit one of his uncles and we had the house to ourselves.

I took that opportunity to take the present I'd brought him from under the seat of my car and give it to him once we were inside and comfortable in the living room.

He opened it carefully, even though it was only a brightly colored box with the bow attached, and then just as carefully unwrapped the tissue paper that was surrounding the item. When he took it out, I knew I'd gotten him just the right present and it made me happy knowing that I'd made him happy.

He carefully took the book I'd chosen for him and read the title, "The Great God Pan, by Arthur Machen," he read.

"Look at the frontispiece," I suggested.

It took a moment for him to read the small print and eventually made his way to the publication date.

"1890?" he asked softly, looking up at me as though I were going to yell 'April Fools!' When I didn't he asked again, "Is this really from... 1890? Really?"

"Really," I grinned, "I know how much you like to collect books, especially first editions when you can afford them. Merry Christmas, Dan," I said quietly.

He threw his arms around my neck and hugged tightly, thanking me over and over. Finally, when he let go, he asked, "Is it safe to read?"

"Yep, I checked it over. I think you should still be careful with the pages when you turn them but otherwise," I shrugged, "it's not a bad book,"

"You read it?" he asked, excited, hoping that we could compare notes afterward.

"Only the first few pages, to make sure they were in good condition, but if you'd like, once you're done with it, you can loan it to me, and then we can talk about it."

I was rewarded with a wide smile and another hug, "I'd love that," he replied. 

When his expression turned sad I made him look at me and asked him what was wrong.

"My present is a piece of junk," he replied sadly, "trash even,".

"Dan, if it's given with love, then it's not junk or trash," I assured him with another hug.

An impish smile that looked eerily like Freddie's touched his lips and eyes and he asked, "Even if I go out into the kitchen and bring you the trash bin with a bow on it?"

"Is it empty at least?" I replied with a grin.

"I couldn't give you an empty container as a gift!" he replied as though scandalized.

"Oh, little boy, you're so asking for it," I laughed as I hugged him to me.

"Asking for what?" His confusion was so evident that it took all I had not to laugh.

"A spanking. A good one too," I replied, whispering in his ear.

Dan pulled away and at first, I thought I'd pushed things too far, but he looked at me from beneath his long, thick lashes with a shy smile.

"For my birthday," he said, his voice a little husky.

I'd been doing my best to take my time with him, going slowly, getting to know each other, allowing trust to grow on both sides, but those words, in that tone... I took a deep breath and moved slightly to adjust myself in my jeans without him noticing.

He stood up and led me toward the front door. At first, I thought he was escorting me out. His cheeks were flushed but he didn't seem angry to me. I was about to apologize when he stopped us just in front of the door and put his arms around my neck. He looked deeply into my eyes, I could see the amusement in his, just before he pulled me down into a tentative kiss on the lips.

Seeing my absolute surprise he smiled again, but he didn't remove his hands from around my neck. He looked up and motioned me with his head to do the same.

"Mom says that's mistletoe," he said, "she says that it's a tradition when you stand under it that you have to kiss," he continued shyly, looking at me uncertainly.

I tightened my arms around him and bent slightly to make it easier to reach his lips. He pressed his body against mine, for the first time that I can remember, and I could tell that I wasn't the only one enjoying it.

TBC

Snarks


	17. Arguing With Myself

Daniel and Jonah  
Chapter 17

It wasn't until the beginning of May the following year, as we sat on the porch of the store on an unusually sunny and warm day, that I brought up the idea of Dan moving in with me.

He stiffened up as he often did when he was feeling unsure or threatened, his eyes glued on whatever it was he'd been glancing at just a moment before.

I leaned toward him gently so as not to startle him and in a low voice, I assured him, "You don't have to say anything right now, Dan, just think about it for a while. Take as long as you need, talk to your folks, use me as your Devil's Advocate..."

"Devil's what?" Dan asked, frowning and looking at me as though I truly had grown a pair of stereotypical Devil's horns on my head.

I tried not to grin or laugh. Dan was slowly but surely developing a thicker skin, but it was still quite thin in places, especially when he thought that someone was laughing at him.

"All that means, Dan mah Man, is that you can use me to bounce ideas and fears off of. You can tell me why you think it's a bad idea, then if you like I can counter with a reason why it's a good idea, or, you can bounce both off of me and I can sit there and listen?"

"That last one doesn't sound very productive though. If I wanted to argue with myself I'd just go into my room and... well... argue with myself, I guess."  
I immediately had to bite my tongue to suppress a grin. There was nothing to laugh at. He was deadly serious, but the song Dancin' With Myself, by Billy Idol came floating into my head from nowhere, and I wondered if someone out there had ever written a song called Arguing With Myself. 

When I'd finally gotten control of my amusement I said, "I'm here however you need me, kiddo, you know that if you want to talk to your parents first, that's fine with me too. You can make out a pros and cons list so that you can have your reasons right in front of you to help you remember," I reached into the pack that I wore on my waist, took out a pen and pad of paper, then began to write down the pros of the situation, while I let Dan think about what the cons would be. His writing was awkward but it was easy enough to figure out what he was talking about. He was very quiet while he worked on the list, adding a couple of things to the pros list as he went along. The tip of the pen was starting to tear through the paper with his effort.

"I'm a little afraid," Dan confessed, finally looking up at me, "I mean, mom knows I'm gay, and my little brother does... I think dad does at this point but he never talks about it. I'm not sure if he's phobic or just doesn't want to admit that his oldest son is gay. He's always said that being gay was a choice. I never felt as though I had a choice in the matter... I mean, I did try to get to know some girls, but as soon as I did something nice for them they'd disappear."

"I don't get it... what do you mean that they'd disappear if you gave something to them?"

"I think they got scared. I was... well, I wasn't on the right meds back then... and... maybe they thought I was weird or something. The funny thing is that I never felt 'that way' about a girl, know what I mean? Like the last girl I ever gave something to... it was a, 'Thank you for being my friend', sort of thing, but she took it the other way and just avoided me or whatever for the rest of the time we lived in that apartment complex."

I thought to myself that if the girl was going to be like that then she should have gently given the gift back, or at the least given it to someone else, since if she'd handed it back to him, I believe he'd have been crushed, and probably thrown it away. I could imagine him, his face, how he felt, and that was the last thing I wanted to happen to him. I'd make sure that never happened ever again. It was about then that his voice cut through my thoughts.

"What if mom wants me to stay because she's afraid for me, she's always been super protective of me... that is when I did tell her about stuff... if my dad eventually says that it's a good thing he'll probably be the first to help me pack," He said with a laugh./p> 

I frowned slightly, trying to keep my anger under control until I heard the whole story. "Why would your dad do that?" I asked finally.

"That's just his sense of humor. Mom gets it but... well... he always said that I and my sister have no sense of humor, so I never know if he's serious or kidding. And when we're wrestling and I do get upset he kinda... yells... a little, and walks off. I think the word is disgusted," he said finally, his voice barely audible.

"Dan," I cajoled, "that's your father there. Of course, he loves you. You said yourself that he has an odd sense of humor, plus," I said, bringing my voice down to a whisper, "He could just be getting grouchier than usual in his old age."

I grinned then, as that drew a smile and a laugh out of my young man. I couldn't help but feel a little proud of myself for getting him to laugh like that... though I still had to admit that his laugh was a little... odd. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Oh well, I thought to myself. Perhaps this would be too much for Angie, or perhaps she'd be in favor of it. Mr. Johnson was a little harder to read. He'd make a perfect poker player if he were the gambling sort,'' When I mentioned that to Dan he laughed as well, "He's one of those guys that doesn't talk unless he really has something to add to the conversation," Dan explained, "don't let that scare you, it made my sister and Freddie nervous. We found out that the only time he really talks is when he's angry or upset about something and even then he'll grind his teeth and go take a walk." 

Later that week Dan came by the store, bright and early, to talk to me. I was hoping that it was to tell me that his folks were happy about him moving in with me, but then he admitted that he hadn't even spoken to his folks about it yet. He'd asked Freddie what he thought, and to please keep the secret until he could tell their mom and dad himself, later.

"Freddie thought the whole thing was cool, but then the little beast kept the secret!" Dan complained quietly, trying to keep our conversation as private as possible, "After all these years of telling on me, and I mean for Every. Little. Thing! And now he shuts up, right when I want him to say something," I withheld a chuckle because clamming up seemed to be a tradition in Dan's house. Unfortunately, it was not to be. I tried not to but I couldn't keep the laughter in. "I'm not laughing at you, hon, honestly," I said as I noticed his jaw set, and his lips slowly turned into two thin lines. Yep, very much Angie's son right there, "my youngest brother was the same way, except that the only way to keep him quiet was to bribe him, whether it was taking over a chore for him for a week, or just plain, old money."> 

Keeping my voice low I said, "Look, we've done a pro and cons list about this before, Dan... going to your parents and asking them. The worst they can do is say no, hon, but that doesn't mean that I can't keep seeing you, and visa versa, whenever we can," As I led him upstairs to my office for some privacy, I promised my crew that I'd be down in time for the breakfast rush.

Dan looked at the stairs as we climbed them, saying something I couldn't quite make out. It was less than a whisper if that were even possible, and he kept repeating it, so it knew then that he was really upset and worried. We sat on the couch. 

As casually as I could, I slid closer to him and put my arm gently around his shoulder. The more time we spent together the easier it was to touch him without him jumping a mile or brushing off my hand as though it were an especially large spider.

"Tell me, hon. What is it? You know I'd do almost anything for you," I said in a somber tone.

"Almost?" he replied, managing to look somewhat hurt by the thought, beseeching with large, innocent-looking grey-blue eyes. It took me a moment to realize that he was just pulling my leg. I didn't know where his father got the idea, but I thought Dan had a great sense of humor. When he wasn't telling awful puns, that was.  
I grinned at that and hugged him, planting a kiss on his cheek which he tried to wipe off without hurting my feelings, so I looked away to give him a few moments, making it appear that I was thinking. When I saw Dan put his hand down I looked at him and said, "Let me rephrase that. Think of me as the genie in Aladdin... I can't kill anyone, I won't steal from anyone, and I can't make anyone fall in love with you... except me... especially me... and your family and friends already love you, so it would be a waste of good magic."

Dan looked at me, not quite comprehending what I'd said.

"There are a lot of things I'd do for you hon, but anything illegal is out," I joked, "and I love you, " I said quietly, "so no magic is needed in this case".

"How about other people? Like, bullies?" Dan asked softly. I knew it was a rhetorical question but it still hit me in the gut, remembering some of the stories he told me about what his experiences in school had been like.

"Put them under a spell to like you? I couldn't do that," I said, doing my best to keep my tone level, "If those people were stupid enough not to love you just the way you were, and are, then they're not worth having in your life, to begin with. Understand?" Then in a lower voice, I said, "I'll be happy to sneak up on them from behind if you get their attention, and I'll tie their shoelaces together," I said, trying not to laugh.

Dan sighed and looked down again for a moment, "I wish I'd known you then", he said. "I would have liked it if I'd been able to make more friends. Even just one good one. Even the ones who said they were my friends eventually turned into more enemies," he admitted. "I never did understand why though."

All of this was said in a matter-of-fact tone, as though he were reading about a character in a book, rather than talking about his own experiences. I knew that he'd been in a special ed class for a long time, even though he wasn't and never had been a behavioral problem. I knew that they'd just thrown him in there because they had no other facilities to help him. I knew he'd been picked on by other classmates. I knew that the teachers were experts at turning a blind eye to what was being done to him until one of the boys walked up to him as he sat at his desk and blindsided him by punching him in the mouth, causing Dan to have a split and bloody lip.

"You had to see my mother, though," Dan recalled with a grin, "When she saw my lip, she helped me into my coat, grabbed my bag, and barreled down to the principal's office demanding to see him. The lady behind the counter just said that the principal was busy and couldn't see her. I swear if looks could kill... but all she did was take a piece of paper and a pen and I could tell by the way she was writing that what she wasn't giving him a pat on the back. She was shaking by the time we got to the car," he giggled a bit.

"What was so funny about that?" I asked as gently as I could, surprised that he could take any sort of pleasure or amusement out of his mother being so upset.  
"She... mom... reached into the glove box and took out a pack of cigs... cigarettes, and lit one up. It smelled horrible and I opened my window. She saw me and apologized and opened all of the windows and tried to hold the cig out of the window until she needed another lung full of burning chemicals."

"Angie smokes?" I asked, stunned. Why I would be surprised was beyond me. If my Daniel could be covered in tattoos, why couldn't Angie smoke? It made me wonder if maybe her husband, might be a gambler after all. And Freddie... him I didn't know enough about yet, other than that he loved to talk, but I vowed I'd figure him out too.

"No, not really, I mean, she used to but then she quit as soon as she learned that she was pregnant again, then after Freddie was born she only smoked when she was upset, and she never smoked in the house. One thing she did do though is that she washed her hands, face, and hair, and changed her shirt afterward so that she didn't hurt us with the second-hand smoke... whatever that was."  
  
"She told us over and over that just because she did it, that didn't make it a very smart idea. She told us that nicotine was like a fish hook and that she knew that we were smart enough not to pick up the habit. It took her a few minutes to get under enough control to drive, and we went for ice cream on the way home."

"Something like that happened again when I was older. A kid started in with me, shoving me off of my chair. I got up and I punched him in the mouth. I... I couldn't seem to stop punching him. It took two of the school security guards to get me off of him. I got suspended. When mom came to pick me up, the teacher asked if I was in trouble and mom said yes, and took me out of the building. I was all nervous until she turned to me and said I wasn't in trouble, that she'd only said that because she thought that was what she thought the teacher would want to hear. After that she said that she was proud of me for sticking up for myself, then she took me to the mall for some McDonald's... she even let me go up for another meal," he laughed, "when we got home, she took care of my lip, put some ice in a dish towel, and put me on the couch to watch a movie."

"So, what happened next?" I asked, my stomach knotting,

"Well, that other kid was suspended for three days too, for ins... instagn... starting a fight, and then for fighting, but mom wouldn't let it go at that. I've never seen her as ticked off as that day. While I was watching television I could hear mom on the phone, trying to be calm... that Italian blood just boiling," he laughed. "I could hear her telling the teacher that the next time someone assaulted me she'd sue the school and everyone in it, especially her, the teacher that is, for not protecting me, and for suspending me for defending myself.   
" 'He's not a punching bag!', I could hear her. She was trying hard to keep her tone level but little by little she was raising her voice, and she's told us over and over that, you get more people to listen if you whisper than if you shout, but I guess she forgot about that, he laughed. "So anyway, I heard her say, I'm proud of him for defending himself!' "

"I'm not entirely sure of what the teacher said but I could hear mom... she sounded... what's the word... sarcastic? But anyway, she almost yelled... 'No child left behind?! Except for my son who was just supposed to do nothing to defend himself? He was just supposed to sit there and let that bully pound on him? You don't think that's considered as one child left behind! So tell me something, you had Dan sitting in that classroom all day with a bloody lip and no one called me. I had no idea what had... what do you mean he was seen by the nurse! Where does anyone get off 'seeing to' my son without my knowing about it! How many other times has he been slapped or hit in your classroom?"

"What do you mean, you don't know!? If you've lost count then it's been happening for a long time... you're blaming a fourth-grader for not telling me? That's complete and total bull... malarkey! I'll see you folks in court.' " Then she hung up the phone and came to check on the ice pack. She took it to put more ice in it and then wrapped the wet towel into a dry one to try to keep me from getting freezer burned, I think she said. I don't remember, and I wasn't sure if she was joking or not. The phone rang just a minute or two after that, and I could hear her voice until she was just talking in a growl. I knew who she was talking to."

"She kept me out for a fourth day, just to be safe. She left me at home with dad for an hour or two and then came back smiling. 'All set,' she said, then she asked me if I was ready to go back to school," he giggled, "well, I wasn't and I said so." She just gave me one of her looks before going to rewash my uniform clothes. That was a little funny since I hadn't worn any of them for three days and I don't know how they could have gotten dirty at that time," Again with that odd giggle. It was driving me crazy trying to figure out just what it was. I was determined that I would figure it out and decided to give up my little game for the time being.  
Getting back on topic, I finally laughed at the image and wrapped an arm around Dan. "I'm just glad that I wasn't at the other end of that conversation. I'll bet your mom lit into them."

Dan sighed, softly, sadly, "I just wish none of it had ever happened. I wish those kids... I still don't understand why..."

"Babe, that's in the past. All in the past, ok? Who knows where those kids are now. Maybe they're successful, maybe they're not. Maybe some of them are in jail by now. The fact that they didn't like you... I mean, had you been doing or saying anything to get them upset with you?"

Dan looked away and didn't respond.

"Daniel Johnson," I said sternly, "did you say or do anything to upset them?"

"It was just a misunderstanding, Jonah, that's all," he whispered, "and it was more toward the end of the school year, so it wasn't an all-day, every-day thing."  
"Tell me about it, please?" I cajoled, altering my tone. Getting angry was just going to make him clam up again, and I felt that this was something he needed to get off of his chest.

"Will you get mad at me for it?"

"I said that the past is the past, and I meant it. So, will you tell me?"

Daniel had been blushing redder than a tomato and I worried about his blood pressure.

"Breathe, Dan. Breathe. Slowly now, get your heartbeat back to normal first, ok?"

He eventually calmed down and leaned over to whisper in my ear, afraid that anyone might be near enough to hear. When he told me I was sure that my eyebrows disappeared into my hairline.

"Why on earth did you say something like that?!" I asked, astounded. I found it very hard not to shout.

He curled up into himself, just as he'd done when those two idiots at the coffee shop had been harassing him.

"Dan," I said more gently, "Daniel, I'm not mad, honest, just...surprised. I never pegged you as someone who would say something like that."

"They were all calling each other that and laughing. I just wanted to fit in. It didn't work," he admitted, "I still don't understand why they all call each other..." I shushed him before he said anything else.

"No one else repeated that word?" I asked gently.

"Well, they all were saying it," Dan repeated, "and I don't understand why... even the Spanish kids were getting in on it. A couple of them called me a cracker and a snowflake. I always figured it was because I was the only white kid in the class, you know? Crackers are white-ish. Snowflakes are white. I just shrugged it off. It didn't mean anything to me."

I covered my eyes with my hand, feeling a sudden headache coming on. Of course, it was completely innocent, but if he was the only Caucasian in the room...

"Are-are you mad at me, Jonah?" he asked, his voice quavering.  
  
"No, hon," I replied gently, pulling him in tight so that his head was in the curve between my neck and shoulder, "I'm not mad at you. Remember what I said... over and done with... in the past, right? And you learned from it?"

Dan nodded slowly, "I understand not to say it again, I just didn't understand why at the time. I know now that it meant something bad, but no one would tell me at the time. All my mother said was not to ever say that word again, and she asked me where I'd heard it. When I told her that I'd heard it in class she got that look on her face again. She went to school the next day to talk to the teacher and the principal."

"That's when the teacher for my next year came up and told my mom straight up that she didn't want me in her class, and since she was the only teacher for that year, I couldn't go into another one. She said, 'I don't want him in my class! I heard about what he said, and no one with that kind of mindset is not welcome in my class' ".  
"My mother told the teacher that I'd heard it in class and that it wasn't a word we used at home or approved of, so if she was going to forbid me from attending, then all the other kids should be banned too. You could see that the teacher wasn't buying it. 'I will not have him in my classroom,' was all she'd say. My mother just rolled her eyes, she gave the teacher a... what did she say? A one-fingered salute before she turned around to go to the principal's office. Jonah... what's a one-fingered salute?"

I couldn't help but laugh. I loved learning about Angie. She was more of a puzzle than I'd thought. His eyes went wide when I told him what the gesture meant.  
"Then what happened?" I asked. I loved to hear Daniel's ideas and stories but Lord, did I wish he'd get on with it, sometimes.  
"She told him what the other teacher had said, and he didn't say a word. Mom says that he was more concerned about hurting that teacher's feelings than those of a little boy. The semester was just about over, so they agreed that I'd be sent to another school come September."  
  
"And?" 

"That was more of a disaster than the other one. They didn't have a special ed class to toss me into. I kinda... well, I couldn't deal with the crowd of kids. The teacher and the kids were just as bad as the ones I'd left behind... there was no aide to help me. No place where I could go to calm myself down or get my act back together if you know what I mean."

Mom got an advocate for me and was trying to get hold of the principal and the teacher through letters and calls, but she was constantly put off by Ms... whatever her name was behind the front desk... until she demanded a PPT or she'd go to the board of Ed." Here he hesitated once more. "Jonah... what's a PPT, and who is Ed and why does he have a board? That's another question no one seemed to be able to answer, or they'd say 'later', and then forget."   
"I'd forget too. I think that's what they were hoping for, actually," he chuffed a laugh. "Someone told me that I have the memory of a goldfish... I don't remember who now though. I guess it's true," he laughed. A sound more realistic than the laughter from earlier. "My parents found another school for me, and I was put into the BDLC class. It was nuts," he sighed, "everyone was just as mean like the ones I'd left behind."

"What does BDLC stand for, Dan, do you remember?" I asked. It didn't sound good no matter what it was.

Dan thought hard and then said slowly, carefully, as the name came back to him, "It was the... Behavioral... Disorder... Learning... Center. I was there for the longest time, or at least it felt like a long time. All of us hated it with a passion. We were given work a first grader could have done, and we watched a lot of movies. Finally, we refused to do any work at all."

"Mom admitted that she'd tried to get me into a school for kids on the spectrum, but my advocate said that the only place that had one was three cities away, and no one could transport me that far."

He sighed. "Eventually I was allowed to go into mainstream classes, but by then it was too late. I guess the kids were nice enough, at least I don't remember any of them being mean or hurting me, calling me names and such, but I didn't think I could learn any more. High school was... a joke... I better stop here. I'm getting upset, ok?" Dan asked, his body tense and his words coming out of a mouth full of clenched teeth.

"Sure hon, I understand," I said softly, putting my arms around him for comfort. Again, he didn't shrug the hug off, and that acceptance made me feel good, and it made me think that somehow, somewhere along the line, that I could help him to let go of the past and all its hurts.  
Finally, he spoke, almost too quietly for me to hear, "Jonah... would you go with me? To talk to them? Please?" he asked, turning beautiful grey-blue eyes up to my brown ones.

I gently said no. Not because I didn't want to help, but more because I felt that my presence would do more harm than good in this situation, and I told him as much.  
When I saw the look of dejection on his face I said quickly, "What I can do is help you make out that pros and cons list. I think that'll make them listen to you more than if I were in the same room as you. They might think that I'm forcing you to live with me."

"How could they think that?" Dan asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. "They like you. I like you. Freddie thinks you're the coolest guy he's ever met. I don't understand..."

"Well, maybe," I said stressing the word, "and this is a huge maybe, mostly because I still don't know your family as well as I'd like. I think I get your brother, and mother, just fine, but your dad is just a tad quiet, and hard for me to read."

He looked up at me, his expression questioning, "Tad?"

"A tad... it means a little bit'. Or in my case more than just a little bit," I laughed, seeing that I was making him nervous again, "don't worry, Boo", I said to him in a gentle tone "for all you know everything will work out fine. And as I said earlier, we'd still be able to see each other." 

"I think that if your mother was worried about anything, it would be that she'd be worried that it was too soon... I mean, it's only been a little over a year now, so it's possible..." My heart leaped when he didn't notice that I used the name Boo. It was what his mother called him... I made a mental note to ask her where she got 'Boo' out of 'Daniel'. The first thing that came to mind was Boo Radley from the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, but I highly doubted that his mother would equate a young Daniel with the young Arthur.

Dan's seemed to go boneless for a few moments as he thought back, "I think it was my mother who kept me in BDLC for so long. She was worried about me in mainstream classes. She may have had a point. On one hand, I think that if she'd insisted that I be put in mainstream classes... I think I'd have learned more, and I wouldn't be so stupid now."

"Hey," I admonished, "you are in no way 'stupid', and I don't want to hear you dumping on yourself again. You're one of the smartest people I know, do you know why?"

Dan only shook his head. "Because you're so aware... of everything around you. You have so many interests that I can't keep up. Your talent for turning bits of metal and a battery into little robots is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. And honestly, your book collection and the incredible range of music you like instead of some of that noise that's called music now. I'm also willing to bet that you've learned more since you've left than when you were there, am I right?"

Dan sat and thought about it for a few minutes and nodded slowly. "That's what mom says too. And she's apologized over and over for not putting me in a mainstream class sooner. She tells me that I'm more mature and much wiser than anyone else my age," he replied, thinking back. "Do you think that's why I like hymns and classical music?"

"Who knows, hon. Maybe you grew up with those things in another life. It was suggested to me by a tarot reader that I had been caught in a flood of lava in a past life," I laughed. "I've always had this fascination with Pompeii, and Mount Vesuvius, and the eruption in AD 79. Who knows?" I repeated.  
('AD’ stands for ‘Anno Domini.' It is Latin for ‘in the year of our lord'. )

"Oh, yeah, I forget, what's that called again?" Dan replied, frowning in concentration.

"Reincarnation... past life experiences? I'm not sure myself, to be honest. We can look it up in a little bit, ok?"

"You're not going to forget?" he asked with a small grin, once again looking up at me beneath his thick, sandy-colored eyelashes, "promise?"

"I won't forget. I promise," I replied as I kissed him on the cheek.

"Nuh, uh," Dan said with finality, "if you're gonna do it later, then I need a bit more to tide me over."

It was my turn to look perplexed. I had no idea what he was saying to me.

I found out quickly enough when Dan approached me, reached up around my neck, and kissed me so long, and so hard, that I was dizzy when our lips parted.  
"There," he said with a grin, "that should tide us both over till we get together again."

I grinned, turned him around and gave his backside a little swat.

"You're a brat, you know that?" I laughed.

"Yep, I am... and Freddie is mine. I don't understand, is there something wrong with that? He likes me, and I like him too, mostly I guess... at least until he starts talking and won't be quiet," he replied with a chuckle..

I was confused and said so.

Dan looked at me as though I'd grown another nose on my face and said, "Brat. It means 'brother' in Russian. What do you think it means?" he asked curiously.

"In America, it means a spoiled kid," I laughed. "I know because I have three brats... ah... brother type brats, of my own," I explained with a smile.

"Oh," Dan replied thoughtfully, "So when mom calls Freddie a brat... I get it now!" Dan said, happily. Then the meaning hit and he turned hurt eyes on me, "Do you think I'm a brat? The American, non-brother kind?"

I went toward him again and outstretched my arms so that he'd know I wanted to hug him if he was willing. Eventually, he walked slowly into my arms and let me wrap them around him, gently.

"You, my love, are a brat of the spoiled variety, but!" I continued before he could react, "you are my brat, and I care for you deeply. No matter what. Got me?"  
"Does that make you my brat?" Dan asked curiously, "it just doesn't sit right with me for some reason."

"That's right... there's only room for one brat in this relationship, and that's you," I said, just before I leaned down and planted a deep kiss on his lips.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

A few days later Dan met me at the cafe door before I'd even gotten there to unlock it to prep for the day. He was smiling ear to ear and jumped on me, nearly knocking me over in his excitement, "I told them! I told them and... dad wasn't crazy about the idea but then again mom said that he doesn't like any idea that isn't his," he laughed again. "And mom... mom was so cool and..."

I had to pull him inside and tried to slow him down a little, laughing at his obvious delight and happiness. I knew without him even telling me that things had gone much better than he'd expected. I brought him into the back reading room that held the more or less secluded famous couch and comfy chairs that everyone coveted when they came in for food or a book. I sat down on the couch and pulled him down so that he was sitting, or rather bouncing beside me.

"Ok! Ok, Dan," I laughed, "I guess you were worried for nothing?"  
  
"Dad didn't like the idea, but as I said, it wasn't his so it wasn't any good," he laughed, speaking quickly and mostly not breathing so that his words come out in what could have passed for a new language, "but mom! Mom just shook her head at him and told him that if I wanted to move out then I should and could! She reminded him that I'd wanted to move out a while ago but on my pay, I just couldn't do it... and now I can!" he practically shouted, "She reminded dad that one of my sisters had moved out a few years before and she's younger than I am! She said I'm an adult and have the right to make my own decisions... can you believe that?!" he grinned as he bounced on the couch again.

"That's great, Dan! My sisters did the same thing. One moved about 7 years ago, and one left about three years ago. They're doing great." I replied, trying to stay calm. His exuberance was infectious and if he didn't calm down soon we'd both be jumping around and screaming like the nut jobs we really were. Better to remain silent and thought a nut job than to speak and remove all doubt... or something like that, I laughed inwardly. "When do you think you might want to start moving? You know I'm happy to help, and I might even be able to strong-arm some of the folks here into moving a box or two," I smiled.

"Strong armed?" Dan asked, feeling my biceps.

"Forced, Dan," I grinned at him, "I wouldn't actually force them," I clarified for him at his expression of horror, "They all love you almost as much as I do, and if you needed help they'd be there for you if you needed them."

"I know," he said, finally slowing down and flashing a calmer smile my way. Then he frowned, "You never told me that you had sisters!" he continued, sounding a bit scandalized, "Where are they?"

"One moved to Pennsylvania then moved to Indiana with her husband, and the other one, the younger one, went to Colorado, and honestly, Dan..." I said, lowering my voice as though afraid that someone would be able to hear me and get the gossip back to my sisters, "my sisters... they're best sisters you could imagine, but if they got a bee in their bonnets, well that was a different matter altogether."

"I feel guilty for saying it but it's been nice. Quiet... drama-free since the girls left so... don't get me wrong, hon," I said quickly, as I saw his expression begin to turn stony, "we all love them to pieces, but they were difficult to get along with on their best days. Understand?" I asked, feeling a bit worried by the expression on his face, "and they're doing great."   
"My younger sister has her own place, pets, a job, friends. She's alright, and you will be too... how many times have you been over to my place over the past year, and no matter what, your parents and brother, and sister," I added with a shy grin, "and me, all love you. And I'm not saying you do need the help, but... if you do need help, I'll always be there for you, got it?"

Daniel asked, "Why do you think I'll need anyone?"

I could hear the challenge in his tone but I chose to ignore it. Instead, I smiled and sang, 'Everybody needs somebody, sometime...'' I didn't get very far before Dan grimaced and blocked his ears theatrically.

Chuckling, I managed to pull one of his hands away from his ears. "Just to help carry in heavy things... like that book collection of yours. That old stereo and records... does that still work by the way? I've never heard you use it." I loved that thing. It looked like an old-fashioned radio but had a turntable hidden in the top, a CD player in the front, and of all things, an eight-track player on the side.

"Dad gets a bit upset because I like music a lot. I play a lot of different kinds of music but I always seem to make it too loud for him. I promise that I won't make much noise," Dan continued, as though I'd asked him. "My schedule is typical retail hours. Whenever they think they need me, I just go in."  
As a matter of fact, I knew that he went to work very early since he had come to the cafe many times, first thing in the morning, appearing like clockwork as soon as I opened the door for the start of the business day.

"When are we going to your apartment? How many rooms does it have? Which bedroom will be mine?"

I was slightly taken aback by that question. I had only assumed that he'd understood my intentions. I took a deep breath and ran a hand through my fuzz of brown hair. I had to leave it short and wear a hat because I was shedding badly, plus, my hair had the annoying habit of growing up and out... and falling out, and that was just a no in the restaurant, or in my case, cafe business. It was a decent, homey place, but it was small enough that I didn't put it on the same level as a restaurant.   
I wanted to tell him so badly, but I was afraid of freaking him out again, so instead, I said, "Well, Dan... why don't you come with me while I get things ready, otherwise there won't be anything for people to eat. I highly doubt that they'll put up with stewed books," I joked as the two of us went back to the work area, I put my hat on, washed my hands up to the elbow, and donned a pair of sterile gloves to get the day started. 

"Wouldn't it be nice if all you had to do was eat a stewed book and retain all the knowledge inside? I'm not saying it wouldn't need a boatload of sugar, but I doubt it tastes much worse than oatmeal," he shuddered, "You... ah... you don't serve oatmeal here... do you?" he asked as though asking as if I had a rattlesnake in my cash register.

I couldn't help it. The laughter just came pouring out until my eyes watered. "Daniel, my darling, yes, I do serve oatmeal, but I promise I won't make you eat it if you don't like it, alright? And we'll keep the stewed book idea under wraps, for the time being, I don't want to lose any customers," I called over my shoulder as I went into the cold storage and took out the makings for bagels, donuts, muffins, croissants, and some eggs, bacon, and sausage for special orders.  
"Do you have to do this all by yourself?!" Dan asked, astounded.

"No, hon, half of the crew is already here for the breakfast rush, even good old "Pops" comes in to help me," I looked at the clock on my cell phone, "in just about five minutes. Don't worry, Boo, I don't intend to run myself ragged," I replied with a grin. The morning rush was mostly made up of lawyers and business times a gofer or two, lunch was even crazier. "Who is Pops? he asked out of the blue, "You never told me, which would be my room? " he asked, rubbing his head, "my room at home was ok and all, but it has slanted ceilings, and I was always bumping my head until I put the bed in the middle of the room. My bed will fit through the door, don't worry," he added quickly, "it's only a twin, and all that you saw in my room was what I have. I won't take up much space."  
I would have put the dough down and gone to him right then, but I did have a job to do, so I melted some chocolate in a double boiler, added milk, and a little sugar, and brought a cup of the hot cocoa to him.

"We can talk about that once Henry...Pops, gets here, ok?" I asked as I walked back behind the counter to get my pre-pre preparations... well... prepared.

Breakfast would be a fast and furious rush and it was important that everything be ready to go when we opened at eight, which was a little more than an hour away. I realized that I was worried about nothing, but in my business, it was important for me to stay on schedule as closely as possible.

As soon as I finished the dough and other things Henry would need, and covering the lot with plastic wrap before putting it back in the cold storage and taking out the lunch meats. I threw the floury gloves in the trash, washed my hands and arms thoroughly, put on fresh gloves, and started slicing the lunch meats, which would also go back into its own section of the cold storage so that it would be ready for lunch rush. "Who is Henry? I never met him before... have I?" Dan asked suddenly, furrowing his eyebrows in concentration as he tried to remember.

"Henry only works early morning, and he's usually out of sight doing the baking, so you've most likely seen or heard him. Plus, he's been out for a while with his wife who had their third baby a month or so ago," I replied, holding in another laugh. And yes, he has opened the door for you now and again." I reminded him./p> 

"It was actually Susan, his wife, who called and begged me to put Henry back on the schedule. He was driving her crazy, trying to wait on her hand and foot. As soon as he gets here, he'll get everything baked, then head back home. Susan might not be crazy about the idea, but that was the only way to get him to agree to come back. Then we'll be on time and we won't worry about making people wait for their food," I said with a sly grin, "and this... is the oatmeal," I said with a devilish grin as I pointed to a stack of several small containers.

Dan picked one up as though it were a worm and looked at the picture. After a while, he put it down and went back to his cocoa, obviously thinking very hard.

"Well?" I asked.

"Do you put all of that stuff in it?"

"Nope, comes with."

"It doesn't look like the stuff my mother makes," he said, still thinking hard about something. "Do you think I could try some?" he asked, somewhat bashfully.   
"No problem, stay put," I replied as I turned to boil some water, and since I was already there, I started the pots of coffee as well, lining up the carafes to make it easier to just put them out, fresh and hot, than to walk back and forth for the different carafes as I sometimes did when I was distracted... and having Dan there was definitely a distraction, though I wouldn't tell him that for fear that he'd apologize once again blaming himself for something. So earnest was he that anyone who didn't know him would think that he'd just killed someone every time he apologized, which was frequently.  
Just then Henry made his appearance. He was a boisterous man... the sort that seemed as though nothing ever phased him. He grinned at me and fairly shouted, "I'm back!" before taking out an envelope of pictures to show me.

This was just going to be a good day, I smiled as Henry showed me and Daniel the five-foot stack of pictures, an exaggeration, of course, but not by much, of a tiny little pink bundle wrapped in strong arms. One picture showed the two other children and their parents on the hospital bed, the new mother and father supporting each other and the baby... I turned to Dan, sure that he was going to love every picture as much as I did, but instead, he stood still as a pole, and if possible he looked even paler than usual. 

I excused myself from Henry who was glad to be back to work after a long time away, and he was also just as glad that I wasn't in the kitchen area with him. He really did like to work alone, but was afraid to say anything to me for fear of hurting my feelings, "Told you... great guy."

************************

Every day, every spare moment I had, I went over to Dan who seemed fine just sitting at his corner table, drinking cocoa and eating a bagel, or just reading while he waited for me to have some free time. I was amazed at his resilience. He'd obviously gotten up before me to make the one-hour walk to the store, and he'd been waiting by the door several hours now. I gritted my teeth since the long walk could have been done in twenty minutes in a warm car. On his days off, Dan was there, at the door waiting for either Henry or myself to open the door. finally, three o clock came around and we closed the store for our own lunches. Don't get me wrong here. My crew was able to take breaks and eat or drink what they wanted whenever it got quiet, as long as they brought it into the office in the back room and ate at the desk. There were enough of us working the rush that if anyone took a few minutes too long it wasn't that big of a deal.

So, when the sign had been turned to read 'Closed' and the door was locked, Dan and I went back upstairs to celebrate a little more. He was still shy about touching me inappropriately, his words, no matter how many times I told him that he could touch me anywhere, any time, but I knew I had to leave it up to him for whenever he was ready, that included me touching him anywhere other than a hug, which by the way, meant that an 18 wheeler could have driven between us with no problem. I looked forward to the day when he felt comfortable enough to kiss me, body to body. Someday, even skin to skin, I thought.

"Dan," I said, pulling back a little, "I meant to talk to you about something..."

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked anxiously. It wasn't the first time he'd said it that way and it sometimes made me nervous about what his home life was like since I had to constantly reassure him that he wasn't in trouble for anything.

"No, hon," I said with a small sigh, wishing once again that I could have saved him from all the flat out crap that he'd gone through not only in school but with the kids in his old neighborhood as well.

Instead of explaining the nature of his moving in with me, frankly because I was worried about scaring him, I changed my mindset and brought up another subject. I figured I could talk to him when I wouldn't be as distracted, and busy.

"We're having a little get-together next weekend, my sisters are coming home for a visit, and I'd love for you to meet them. If you feel overwhelmed we can go into my old room and shut the door. We're both adults so my mother won't say anything about it... at least, I don't think she will," I joked.

"What about your father?" Dan asked nervously.

"He's completely behind me," I smiled, "when you consider all of those people who are phobic, some of them the parents, I think you and I are pretty lucky. And if your dad really has a problem with it, I'm sure he'll eventually come out and say something. Don't forget, he is your father, and he does love you... he's just quiet about it." I would have added, 'quiet about every damned thing,' but he was still Dan's father and I didn't want to show any disrespect.

Also, I've been waiting to ask you something. This is very, well, I'm not sure how you'll feel, about it."

Dan cocked his head, a familiar sign that he was listening.

"Dan, would you... I mean... we've known each other for quite some time..." I said, stammering, "What... I mean is, would you... will you marry me?"

Daniel was silent for a few moments then breathed a heavy, "Yeah, I guess."

Well, don't sound so excited about it," I teased. My stomach started to feel hotter than usual as I worried about his reaction.

Despite his is apparent reluctance I asked him again, nervously, my heart beating a mile a minute, afraid of his response. I knew that my voice was shaking a bit. "What do you say, Boo?" I asked as I brought out the gold ring. I hesitated before trying it on his finger. n?"

"No... I mean yes, I'd be thrilled to marry you," he said, a smile on his face as he gazed into my eyes, which had been glued to my young man's,"

With a wide smile, he said with more enthusiasm," Yes, he said as he reached out and gave me a bear hug and a kiss on the lips that just made me wish that I could ask him all over again if it meant that I would get another one of those kisses. 

"Will you tell me what's bothering you?" I asked. "Maybe I can be your sounding board."

"What's..." he began to ask.

"Just talking to me," I assured him, "Sometimes just getting it out of your system helps a lot."

" If... when we get married," he corrected himself, "does it have to be a lot of people? I mean... I'm sorry," he said quietly, "I just don't do well with crowds or lots of people or noise. I don't really know. All I can do is try," he replied, I think as nervous as I had been just a few minutes ago. "Ive been worrying all day about going to your parent's house, and all of the people that you said would be there. Could we maybe have a ceremony with only a few people? I don't want to get anyone upset with us if we don't invite them?" he asked

"Well, you know me, and you know my mother and father. I have a feeling you'll adore the kids, and with luck, my sisters will behave themselves," I chuckled. "Merry has her husband and kids to keep her grounded, and I'm hoping that Sasha has grown up a little bit in the time she's been gone, so you won't have to worry about her either, ok? I'm not sure yet whether my brothers and their squadrons are coming home or not." I said with a grin, it can just be our foks, and maybe our sisters and brothers. And, if you need to leave the reception early, and we'll head home," Dan replied, still a little reluctant. "Um... if it gets really bad... will you take me home?"

"I think you'll be fine, but if on the off chance that you're feeling nervous, I promise I'll bring you right back home, even better, I'll take you back to my place, our place, and we'll just sit back and relax. I get to see my folks all the time. Merry and Sasha keep in touch by phone, video chat, or public media, so I won't be missing much there either."

"But..." he began.

"You are important to me, Dan. Your comfort is important. Your peace of mind is important. Other than the kids making a lot of noise, I really don't think anything bad will happen, but we do have options if something does, ok, hon?"

"Ok," he replied, "I'll try not to let anything bother me. I don't want to take you away from your family?"

"Not this coming weekend, but the one after that," I explained, clearing my desk of a little of the accumulated mess to show him the calendar beneath. I circled the date and wrote, GATHERING!, before counting down how many days it was until said gathering was supposed to take place. I'd learned early on that Dan was a very visual person. Show him something once, and he'd never forget.

"What should I wear?" he asked, finally. "Is it a dressy kind of thing? I think I have some nice stuff in my closet, but if I don't, I can always go to a consignment store and find something."

With that information-digging into my gut, I replied, "It's come as you are... except for nudity or pajamas, anything goes," I managed to laugh. Consignment stores were alright for the most part I thought to myself. Not a bad place at all, and well-intentioned, but it killed me that he couldn't or wouldn't go to a regular store, and I thought about how he and his mother had spoken about money problems when she thought that no one was there to hear. 

Dan finally nodded, somewhat relieved that he didn't have to dress up. It was fine for Sunday mass, except perhaps the tuxedo shirt he liked so much, but he didn't think it would be too comfortable for an entire day.

****************************

The next day Dan called me to let me know what he had put in for the following Saturday off and had been granted permission immediately.   
"He told me that I work too hard and said I had vacation time and such available if I wanted to take it. I told him I'd take another shift, or work longer to make the time up," he finally said, "Did I do the right thing?" he asked me anxiously.

"It doesn't sound to me as though your supervisor was angry or put out about it, so I think you're alright, there."

Dan shrugged a bit. "I couldn't help it. I was sure that he was going to call me back and tell me he was just kidding and tell me something like,' Just joking! Get to work! Pronto!' I have no idea what 'pronto' means," he said, "but I've heard it often enough whenever Felix says it to the other team members."

He laughed, a little sheepishly and said, "I kinda ran after that. I was pretty sure that he would change his mind and call me back," He chuckled and shook his head, "I guess I'm just used to people playing pranks on me." 

I forced a smile. It bothered me no end that people would ever treat anyone, let alone my Dan, like that. No wonder he'd had such intense trust issues when I'd first met him.

*******************************

The week seemed as though it dragged on forever, whereas Dan admitted that it was going too fast for him. I knew he was worried about my sisters after what I'd said about them to him, so I reassured him, promised him, that I wouldn't say or do anything to set them off. 

I'd asked him straight out if he was afraid of children. I'd learned over the course of the last year that he did have PTSD due to the treatment he'd been subjected to both in school and in his own neighborhood, not only of the police, who I could understand considering what had happened to him in the past, his reluctance toward children, but he never answered, changing the subject so subtly that sometimes I wasn't even aware of it, but by then he'd usually be gone.

Finally, the long-awaited day arrived. I had to convince Dan that he didn't need the tuxedo shirt under his suit, or the suit for that matter.  
"I know that's not what you were wearing before I got here, little boy," I said, a little sternly. "I remember telling you that it was a 'come as you are party. It's only Saturday so you can't tell me you were at church. Your mother didn't know and tipped me off that you were wearing chinos and a tee-shirt... that's fine. Now, why don't you go to the bedroom and change back into them?"

A sly grin crossed Dan's features and he looked at me coyly. "Before I put this on all I had on was my underwear. I wasn't exactly naked, and it was what I was wearing before I changed clothes."

'God,' I thought, 'thank you so much for this man!' before I turned to Dan and gave him a firm swat on the seat of his fancy pants and pushed him toward his dressers.

"Now, get into some comfortable clothes... don't you dare come out in your Renaissance costume or another shirt with frills... or else," I threatened.

Dan just grinned and then flounced off to pick some new clothes from his dresser. He showed me some black chinos and a button-down shirt and began to undress, that was until he remembered that I was in the room.

"I can dress," he said tartly, "so I don't think I need help... or an audience."

I was about to say something when I saw the twinkle in his eyes. My boy certainly had an odd sense of humor.

What I said instead, was, "You're gonna get it kiddo, just wait."

"Promise?" Dan asked with a grin and twitch of his shoulder that caused his shirt to come off even further to reveal more of his skin. I'd seen that pale, china-like skin before when we had gone swimming, but he hadn't been teasing me then.

I gave him a look that anyone else would have interpreted as a 'Don't mess with the Bull,' glare, but he just laughed delightedly and then walked into a small closet to change in. The closet was near to bursting with small, Freddie-sized clothes, as well as some larger Dan-sized items. If he'd bought all of that stuff from a consignment store, I'd have to buy some stock in it, if there was stock to buy. Or maybe he secretly owned the store and would just go in and pick some clothes up whenever the mood struck him.

"Ok, I get the hint," I said, trying to suppress a grin, "I'll meet you downstairs. NO DRESSY CLOTHES. Got it?"

"Ok," Dan said through the slight opening of the door, "naked it is."

"I think my folks will have something to say about that too. Maybe the pants and shirt would be safer, eh?"

"Spoilsport," Dan groused. I could tell by his tone that he was joking so I left his room and went downstairs to wait.  
  
I hate to say it, but I could hear Danny loud and clear. Just to warn you, that's typical Dan. If he doesn't get you with a bad pun, he'll get you with an even worse joke," Angie laughed, "Don't say I didn't warn you," Then with a grin much like her eldest son's, she turned on her heel and went back into the kitchen where she was baking some seriously fantastic smelling chocolate cupcakes.

I followed her into the kitchen and saw about three dozen of them, some with frosting, some without, and yet more on a cooling rack.

"Ummm," I said uncertainly, "would I... is it ok if..."

"You are every bit as adorable as Dan, you know that?" she asked with a huge grin. "Of course you can have some. Take six. I'm only making them for the family, and you're family, so, dive right in.  
I took one of the treats and just nibbled at it to start. I don't know how it happened, but suddenly I found myself with an empty cupcake cup and a half-full glass of milk.  
"Did I really eat it that fast?" I asked with wonder in my voice.

"Yep, and you have no idea how happy that made me. Feel free to have another, but save room for dinner," she reminded me in a stern tone.

"Ma'am! Yes, ma'am!" I said, standing stiffly at attention and giving her a perfect Army salute. I was lucky enough to have a cousin in the Army, and she'd shown me how to salute properly.

To my dismay, she whacked my arm and said, "I'll ma'am you. Angie is fine. Don't ever ma'am me again, got it soldier?" she demanded. I could see the mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Yet more proof that Dan could only be her son. Come to think of it, Freddie looked more like her than any of her kids. I must have said something aloud because she smiled again as she sat me down at the table and pushed the freshened milk, which was ice cold and truly refreshing, and another cupcake toward me.

"Well, Seb warned me that his family's genes overwhelm the genes of anyone who marries into the family. A scientific publication I like to read had a great article about genetics, which said that darker skin and eyes are dominant traits, so I shrugged off what he'd said and figured that I'd show him wrong when the baby was finally born."

"The pediatric nurse at the hospital had checked our wrist bands three times to prove that she was giving me the right baby who was fair-skinned and platinum blonde. Even then I could see and hear her talking to the RN in charge that morning, asking her if there'd been some kind of mistake."

"I was happy to hear the woman shush the other nurse and tell her not to be a ninny as 'mixed marriages' were common at this point. I had to just laugh. To me, the only race in existence is the human race. Of course, I never got into discussions regarding religion, politics, or anything controversial with anyone, not even dad, who has very strong opinions of his own and has no problem talking about them to anyone willing to listen for a half hour or more," she finally laughed, "He loves a good debate."

I couldn't help but laugh as well. It was then that I finally noticed her dark hair, liberally shot with silver, and her dark eyes and olive skin tone. Then Freddie ran into the house, dropping his bat, ball, and glove on the floor before making a beeline to the cupcakes.

"I swear, this kid!" Angie groused with a smile on her face, "He once tracked down his sister by following the scent of the fries she'd made that afternoon... better than a bloodhound, I'm telling you!"

She laughed and ruffled Freddie's very long hair. Not for the first time I wondered why she didn't take him to the barber for at least a trim but kept the notion to myself. 

Just then Dan walked into the kitchen and said, "I'm still willing to shave off all of Freddie's hair in his sleep," he offered, but Angie put her foot down about that immediately.

"I don't know if you've noticed but dad has long hair too... as far as Freddie's, I like it, so leave it alone. If he wants to cut it that's his call."

"How about if I shave mine?" Dan quipped.

"I'll take a spoon to you," she'd threatened, but it was obviously a joke between the two of them because Angie's threat was accompanied by a poorly hidden smile.

She blew a kiss at Dan and saved the nearly half-empty tray of cupcakes from in front of her youngest son, then transferred two dozen more into a container for me to take to my family gathering.

"You don't want to go in empty-handed," she said, sounding a bit distracted as she turned toward the oven to take out two more trays, which smelled fantastic despite being slightly singed underneath due to having been left in the oven just a little too long.

"Freddie, you can have these. Just let me frost them and you'll never know there's anything wrong with them."

In response, Freddie snatched a still hot cupcake from the tray and ran upstairs to his room.

"Good luck eating that right now!" Angie called after him, laughing before she looked at me and stage whispered, "He'll eat it even if he burns the inside of his mouth... brat," she muttered the last word affectionately as she went back to frosting the cooled cakes.

"Mom, we're going to leave now, ok?" Dan asked.

I looked at the clocks on the oven, coffee maker, and microwave, all of which were perfectly synchronized and changed time together, showing me that it was just 4 o'clock.

"Yep, hang on one more minute," she said, quickly frosting another batch of the unsinged cupcakes, frosting them quickly before putting them into another container. "These are for the kids, they have chocolate pudding in the middle," she grinned.

"Thank you, Angie," I said gratefully as I took it out of her hands, "This is really nice of you."

"Yeah, she's ok," Dan chimed in, "Most of the time, anyway," he said, again with that impish grin.

"Out, or I'll show Jonah the right use for a wooden spoon!" 

Daniel laughed as I'd never heard before, and grabbing me by my free hand, pulled me toward the door and into my car, looking back occasionally in case his mother might still be in pursuit.

Instinctively I leaned over and gave him a peck on the mouth. 

To my surprise and delight, rather than shying back or wiping it off, he grinned shyly and gave me a peck on the cheek. He looked a little uncertain afterward so I smiled at him. Widely. Ok, it was a full-on grin. Seeing that it was alright he smiled back, and his eyes twinkled beneath those long eyelashes.

"Well, are we going or are we going to sit here smooching. I'm ok with it either way," he said, and like his mother, having a hard time pushing back a smile that I'm sure rivaled my own.

"Brat," I said as I started the engine and took off for my parent's house.


	19. Daniel and Jonah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving Interrupted

It was only a little over a fifteen-minute drive to my parent's house, and it wasn't the first time I was grateful that not only did my parents have a big house but a driveway long enough and wide enough to fit the entire family. Even though their vehicles were new-ish, it still looked like a used car lot in front of a very homey looking dealership. Apparently, nearly everyone had arrived early, and even though we were early as well we'd be treated as though we were late. I laughed to myself, even if I'd gotten there before my sister and her husband, as well as their crew, they would still tease me about it. It was alright though. We're family, and frankly, I was used to it.

I grinned as I got out of the car, planning to open Dan's door and help him out since he was carrying our contribution of food into the house. He handed that to me as well and got out of the car quickly, taking deep breaths of fresh air. We'd made... or rather, I had made a sweet potato casserole, a favorite in our family and almost as good as my mother's sweet potato pie, but you couldn't tell that from Dan's actions.

"I can't believe people are making casseroles out of that stuff!" he'd exclaimed, gasping theatrically, "How does anyone eat those things? My mother used to eat them right out of the oven, skins and all, with butter and brown sugar," he stuck his tongue out and I gripped the tip gently with my thumb and pointer finger, causing him to grimace and wipe off his tongue as though I'd put hot pepper on it.

"Well, Mr. Dan My Man, you said you didn't like oatmeal and now you can't get enough of it. Why don't you give the pies and casserole a chance before you decide you don't like them," I said, grinning at his antics.

He gave me what was for him a nasty look and shrugged, "If you strong-arm me, I might," he replied. That was when I saw him once again trying to suppress a smile, as the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

"Take a bite of each, and if you decide you don't like them, I'll eat them." I rejoined, "I love the stuff, and I'm going to have to fight off my family for every scrap. Just out of curiosity, have you ever tried broccoli rabe?"

"What's that?" He asked, looking at me with a dubious expression.

"That's another thing you'll have to try, and again, if you don't like it I'll take your portion of that as well."

"Promise?" he asked uncertainly.

"Absolutely," I said, holding out my pinky finger. He looked at it and then at me, "What's wrong with your finger?" 

I gently took one of his hands and linked pinkies with him. "That's what my nieces and nephew call a 'pinky promise'. It means that you have to do what you promise to do, no if, and, or but about it. Understand?"

It was clear to me that he didn't get it immediately, but I wasn't going to patronize him. Autistic, yes. Stupid? Not by a long shot. He had to be one of the smartest men I'd ever met, and that made me so proud of him... another concept that he couldn't seem to wrap his brain around.

"Come on, hon, let's get in there before all the appetizers are gone!"

I cradled the casserole with one arm and linked my other arm with his. I was happy that he hadn't pulled away. He was really getting used to being touched by anyone other than his family members. I really hoped that Angie and Seb would like me as a son-in-law... someday.

A large car drove up and the wave of noise nearly blew us backward as we opened the door. My younger sister and her brood stepped inside. Before I knew it, she came forward to give me a big kiss on the cheek.

"And you're Dan! It's so good to meet you, finally! All Jonah does is talk about you! Well, Come on in, guys! You're letting all the warm air out!" she exclaimed as though we were the ones who were late. Before I took more than a few steps, the kids, I couldn't help but notice that Dan stiffened up at their approach, ran up to me, begging for hugs and kisses... it didn't hurt that I also gave them a dollar each whenever I saw them, with their promise that they'd save it for a special occasion.

"Thank you Uncle Jonah!" they chimed in unison before running off to play with a few other children from the neighborhood who had somehow been invited... or who had crashed the party. I knew my mother wouldn't mind, she always made enough to feed the army... or one hungry retired Marine. 

It was an old joke between my 6' 2" (compared to my own 5' 11" self) brother in law who had retired only last year. We'd once had an eating contest to see who would win... he practically hoovered the food off of his plate. I was behind by half a steak, and three mouthfuls of mashed potatoes. Jokingly, he'd tapped his knees.

' It helps to have hollow legs,' he'd said, causing everyone to laugh, including me.

< It had been chilly outside but now, indoors and crowded with warm bodies, it was just too hot to wear our sweaters. We took them off and stuffed them into the arms of our coats before we went to join the throng.

My mother rushed up to us and put an arm around each of us for a hug. Dan was just the slightest bit stiff but managed to hug her back, before my father, who'd been standing behind her, reached around to shake our hands. He pulled me into a one-armed hug before turning to Dan and asking if it was alright to hug him as well. It was said with a friendly smile, and Daniel allowed the hug. Again, his body was a little stiff but he managed a quick hug as well before gently sidling out from beneath dad's arm.

My father was used to this and didn't take offense. He understood that Dan would only hug people whom he knew well, and we'd only been to my parent's house a few times, mostly because real-life tended to rear its ugly head.

There was plenty of time before dinner and my mother reminded the entire gang not to fill up on appetizers or we'd have no room for dinner. I and my brother and sister laughed at that since she'd been picking at the shrimp, causing her to blush a little before smiling ruefully and saying, "So it's a habit. Now start helping me so that we don't have to wait another hour for dinner."

Our family knew that our mother was a great cook and that everything was going to come out just fine, but she always worried. Dad always joked that mom wasn't happy unless she was worried about something, and though we didn't tell her, we all silently agreed.

To my delight, Dan's eyes widened with a pleasant surprise when he tried the casserole and then the broccoli rabe, and I smiled when he asked for second helpings. I nearly had to fight him for the last of the broccoli rabe until I cut the portion into two equal halves and split it between us. 

Dinner, as usual, was fantastic, and a lot more than everyone in the house could comfortably eat at one sitting. As per our regular routine, we decided to let our stomachs digest a little before pie and coffee were ready. My sisters insisted that we join the other guys and watch TV for a while as they helped mom clean up. Dan, however, began to collect and scrape dishes of any food particles before putting them into the dishwasher.

"Daniel," mom said with a grateful smile, "Thank you for helping."

Shyly, Dan answered, "It's the least I can do after all the cooking you did."

"Well, thank you," she repeated before giving me a pointed look, "Too bad we can't get the rest of the guys to pitch in."

I laughed and put my hands up in surrender, "I'm here ma, what would you like me to do? How can I help?"

"Oh, just go into the living room and watch TV with everyone else," she replied with a wave of her hand. Dan looked up at me after loading the last of the dishes into the washer and sent me an impish grin.

"All set here," he proclaimed as he put the dish detergent pod into the little pocket in the door just before he closed it and pushed the buttons to start it up.  
"Thank you, Daniel," mom said again, with a broad smile.

My older sister chimed in with mock indignation, "Well, what are we, chopped liver? We helped too!" She also couldn't stop herself from smiling as she said it, showing our mom that she wasn't really angry.

My younger sister had her arms crossed, and a tight smile on her face but said nothing. I couldn't figure out what she could be angry about. She had always been the most sensitive of all of us so it could have been anything. I figured she'd say what was on her mind when she felt like it, so I began to lead Dan into the living room to watch television with the rest of the guys. 

"You're welcome Mrs. Mac Intyre," Dan replied quietly just as the kids ran into the kitchen looking for ice cream.

"We can have ice cream with the apple crumble if you like, but not until everyone is ready for dessert, got it you little munchkins?"

"Awww, but grandma..." the oldest of the children began to complain.

"Wait, or no ice cream later, your choice."

The kids looked back and forth between themselves, their grandmother, and the freezer before finally giving in, "Ok," the spokesperson of the group said, and with a last look at my mom with sad puppy dog eyes. Seeing that they weren't doing the trick, the children ran off to play.

This wasn't the first time I'd seen Dan get nervous around kids, so I suggested to him that we go to my old room to get away from the worst of the noise, at least for a little while. On the way up the stairs, I nabbed a candy dish full of peanut M&Ms.

Once we reached the bedroom I gently closed the door and sat on the bed. I patted the mattress and he finally walked over to sit beside me. I took a handful of the M&Ms, chewing them thoughtfully as I considered a way to broach the subject with him. He took several as well and I could see his eyes closing in pure contentment.

I waited for him to finish off his mouthful, then turned to him and led him up into the relative quiet of my old room where we sat, for several minutes before I softly, "Dan, can I ask you a personal question?" 

"Did I do something wrong?" he replied nervously.

I smiled at him and said, "No, of course not. I was just wondering about something."

At first, my Daniel was quiet, then he nodded his head, "If I have an answer," he said, vaguely.

"Are you afraid of kids? I mean, because of what happened to you when you were a kid?"

Dan gazed at the floor and said, "Not really," but for some reason, I didn't entirely believe him.

"Dan, if you can talk to anyone, you know it's me, right? You can tell me anything. You won't scare me off."

Eventually, he answered, almost too quietly for me to hear properly. "Do you want kids... I mean... you know... sometime?"

I watched his face for any hint as to why he'd brought the subject up.

"I suppose at some point it might be nice, but it's not set in stone. Is everything ok, Dan?" I asked again.

"I don't ever want to have kids," he answered, again in a tone so soft it was hard to hear him, "I don't want to pass down my genes to a baby and have it end up like me."

"What...?" I began to ask.

"I don't want a kid to go through what I went through, being made fun of, attacked for no reason by classmates, chased and threatened by neighbors..."  
I stopped him where he was because I could see tears forming, and I couldn't help but hear that his voice had gone back to the monotone he'd used when we'd first spoken. One sure sign that he was upset.

"Dan, there's no law that says we have to have kids, and if we ever did, we could get a surrogate, or adopt a baby, even a toddler if that's what you'd be more comfortable with."

"So you want kids," he replied in the same tone. "Dan," I said, taking his chin and tilting his head up to look at me, "We don't have to have kids if you don't want them. It's not a deal-breaker for me. No matter what, I'm yours, and you're mine, kids or no kids, ok?"

"Are you sure?" he asked, "I don't want to disappoint you, or take away something that you'd really want."

Smiling, I replied, "All I want is you," before I kissed him gently on the lips. "If we decide someday that we'd like a kid or two running around the house we have those options, but if you don't, then we won't. I. Love. You. Always, and don't you forget it," I replied, winking at him.

"And I want you," Dan said, shyly, "but I don't want any of our kids to be autistic."

I sighed, wishing that I could have been in those classrooms to protect him from all the shit he'd had to put with. That I could have been at the apartment complex he'd lived in for most of his life so that I could have told those kids off. It was too late now. There was no way to erase his past. All I could do was make his future better.

"There's no way to know if a baby will be autistic or not. Adopting isn't a guarantee that the child won't have a condition of any sort, the thing is that we'll love that kid, no matter what... and Dan, autism isn't catching, so you've got nothing to worry about, ok?"

My Daniel looked a little uncertain, so I continued, looking into his eyes as I spoke, "Dan, there is no law that says that we're obligated to have kids. If you really don't want any, I can live with that. Just remember that there's nothing wrong with you... you're Daniel, not Autistic Daniel, not anything except yourself, and that's all I want. I'll be just as happy if it's just the two of us. If you do decide that adopting is for us, we can look into it then."

Dan looked me in the eyes, searching to see if I was serious. Once he was assured that I wasn't kidding, he nodded his head and then laid it down on my shoulder, finally at ease.

"Do you feel like going back out into the crowd for now?"

He only nodded against my shoulder and moved to get up, but I stopped him and said, "And don't be afraid of the kids here. They're noisy, but they're good kids otherwise, ok?"

"Ok," he replied quietly.

I smiled at him and helped him up, giving him a light swat as he headed toward the door.

He looked at me indignantly, "What was that for?"

"For worrying so much," I responded, still smiling, "And because I love you very much. Don't forget that. No matter what, you can always talk to me. About anything. You're not alone, and no one will mess with you again without answering to me."

"Thanks, Jonah," he replied quietly as he continued to walk toward the door, "I love you too."

My heart jumped for joy when I heard those words. I'd said them to Daniel many times over the past year and a half, and it felt wonderful to finally hear them coming from him.

I caught up to him at the door and put a light arm across his shoulders. As I looked at him, just a few inches shorter than I at 5'7", he rose up a bit on his toes and gave me a lingering kiss, wrapping his arms around me and holding me close, things he'd never done before.

The hug, kiss, and the words he'd just said to me combined, filled my heart with a happiness I didn't know I could ever feel. "Let's go, Boo. People will be wondering where we are," I said, hearing the gruffness in my own voice as I reluctantly let him go and opened the door.

Once again he nodded, and I could see him straightening up to face whatever was in store for us.

We came out just in time for dessert, which surprised me. I'd had no idea that we'd been in my room for so long, but I did feel that familiar craving for my mother's homemade pumpkin, and sweet potato pies, as well as the cakes and goodies that she and my sisters had baked. The smell of the apple crumble being warmed up made my mouth water and I hurried Dan to the table where I called 'Dibs!' as the others filed in. Everyone but my sister, Sasha smiled.

After dessert, everyone, except for the kids who went upstairs to watch the television in my parent's room, sat down in the living room to digest and watch a movie.  
Dan looked uncomfortable in a room as full as that, so I brought him into the empty den where we turned on yet another television to watch the same movie. He visibly relaxed in the quiet, cool, room. My sister came in to join us and sat down on the vacant chair, still with her arms crossed and a slightly sour expression on her face.

Again, she said nothing as she watched the movie with us.

Eventually, I had to use the bathroom and got up. Dan began to follow me and I gently held him down, kissing his cheek before explaining in a whisper where I was going, and that I'd be right back. "Don't worry, Boo, no one here will hurt you, and you'd better make sure you tell me if they do... even if it's Grant," I continued, speaking of my sister's giant husband.

Dan nodded once again and trained his attention on the movie. Seeing that he was alright I continued on my way.

**************************

When she saw her brother leave, Sasha, turned toward Daniel and trained her glare on him until he couldn't help but notice.

"I-i-is something wrong?" he asked nervously.

"What are you, a dishwasher at the restaurant? A busboy. Maintenance, right? You sweep and mop for him? People like you don't get good jobs, so I know you don't do anything important," she said in a snide tone.

"I-I don't work for him," Dan replied, still nervous. 

"Where did you two meet? What do you do for a living? How much do you make in a year?" she demanded, managing to keep her voice down as she did so.  
"We met at his cafe. I'm a bagger at a local grocery store," Dan explained.

"I knew it, you're nothing!" she said with an ugly smile, "You're nothing but a gold digger, aren't you? What do you think... my brother is going to foot all the bills? You're just in it for whatever you can get. What do you want him to buy you next, a diamond ring?" she laughed harshly. "I'd out you but I know he wouldn't believe me. He'll find out for himself soon enough," she hissed.

Feeling proud of herself for telling Jonah's 'boyfriend' what she was sure everyone else was thinking, she stood up, nose in the air, smiling in triumph as she walked out of the den and back to her mother and sister in the kitchen.

Dan felt every word as though a dagger had been stuck into his stomach and heart. Is that what everyone was saying about him? he wondered. The more he thought of what she'd said the more he felt like crying, but he held it in, barely.

Only a few moments later, Jonah returned to find his Daniel sitting stiffly on the sofa, no longer watching the movie.

**********************

"Dan," I said, but he didn't seem to hear me. His eyes were fixed on the door to the closet where mom kept the vacuum.

"Dan," I said a little bit louder, and when he still didn't break out of the fog that he was in I sat beside him and tapped him on the thigh to get his attention. I could see that something was wrong and I asked him about it.

"I can't talk about it. Not yet," he explained, his voice once again monotone. "Is it alright if we just go back to your place?"

"Sure, Hon, I'll say our goodbyes and we can leave whenever you want."

"I don't want to upset your mom, I'll wait near the car until you're done, ok?"

"Ok, Boo, look, here are the keys, just sit and relax, put the radio on. I'll be out in no time."

He nodded silently, took his coat without putting it on, and slipped, unnoticed, past everyone who was still in the living room.

***********************

"Mom," I called, "Dad? Dan and I are headed home now. I'll call you when I get there," I smiled as I took each of them in turn for bear hugs.

"Is everything alright?" my mother asked me, concerned by this sudden departure.

"I don't know," I replied, "Dan just seems really upset about something and he won't tell me what, so I'm just going to take him back to my apartment. Maybe then I can get him to open up."

"Good luck," my father said, "it's like having to use a crowbar to get him to say anything at all even on his best day," he joked. I didn't take it personally, I understood that he was just as concerned as my mom, and just trying to lighten the mood.

I smiled ruefully, it was true, Dan didn't care much for talking about himself if he could avoid it, "I know. Hopefully, by the end of the night, he'll feel comfortable enough to tell me what happened."

"Give him hugs from me, Jo," my mother said with a sad smile.

"He'll be ok, as soon as I can get him to talk and get it off of his chest. Thanks for understanding."

"He's a sweetheart," mom replied, "I hate to think of anything bothering him. I hope it wasn't something I said or did..." she trailed off.

I gave a short laugh, "Unless thanking him for helping is now a bad thing, you haven't done anything wrong. Stop worrying," I said, giving my mom a peck on the cheek.

"Well," mom replied, "Don't you want me to be happy?"

Taken aback, dad actually said, "Huh?" Something he'd never allowed any of us to get away with as children.  
"If I'm worried I'm happy, you said it yourself," she grinned.

"Yeah, I lied," dad replied with a matching grin as he hugged her to his chest and kissed the top of her head.  
"Well, that's my cue to leave," I said with a theatrical grimace.

"Goodbye, Jo," my mother said, giving me a hug just before dad did the same thing.

"Don't forget..." dad began.

"I know," I replied, rolling my eyes a little, "Call you when we get home, I promise." Then shaking my head, bemused, I walked outside and joined Dan in the car.

"Ready to talk about it?" I asked, "Was it something you saw on TV?"

"No. And No." he replied shortly, "Can we just go home now? You promised."

"Yeah, hon, we're going straight home." I started the car and was just beginning to leave when my sister, Merry, ran out, a huge bag in her hand, "Hang on! Hang on!" she yelled to get our attention.

"What's up, Mere?" I asked as I put down my window.

"Mom wants you to take some of this home. There's no way we'll be able to eat it all, and don't forget, she cooked up enough to last for a week... you know how she is," Merry laughed.

"Well then, I guess I'd better take it. I don't want to get in trouble," I laughed.

I took the bag and asked Daniel if he'd be willing to hold it until we got home.

He nodded but didn't look at me or my sister. During the ride home, he barely said two words, just looked out of the window. I heard him sniffle once or twice but I wasn't immediately concerned since I knew that he had allergies.

"Hey, Boo," I suggested, "why don't you take a nap. It might take a little more time than usual to get back to my apartment, depending on traffic."

"I'm ok," was about the extent of what I was able to get out of him. I was more than concerned but I didn't say much, allowing him to sort through whatever was bothering him and hoping he'd be willing to tell me what happened when we got to my place. He'd agreed to sleep over in order not to wake his parents or little brother.

When we got back to my apartment he sat on the couch, asking for a pillow and some blankets.

"It'll be warmer, and a lot more comfortable, that is want to come upstairs and sleep with me in my bed," I suggested.

Dan blushed, he couldn't help the shy smile that came reluctantly to his lips. "Ok," was all he said.

With that, we went upstairs and speaking about nothing in particular. He fell asleep on top of the blankets nearly as soon as his head touched the pillow. I drew up the blanket that was always folded up at the foot of the bed and covered us both.

I sighed and thought about how wonderful it would be when Dan and I shared a bed. Permanently. I gave him a kiss on his temple, put my head down, and started to doze. I was only partially aware of him cuddling closer to me in his sleep and I instinctively put an arm around him before falling asleep myself.

End Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving? No, thanks.
> 
> Much Thanks to Spideygirl, for your keen eye and help.


	20. Daniel and Jonah

Even though it was Sunday, and my day off, I woke early as usual only to find myself holding a pillow instead of my Daniel. Sleepily I called out to him, but I wasn't sure if he could hear me.

I got up and checked the en suite bathroom to see if he was in there, but there was no sign of him. When I opened the bedroom door I could smell bacon cooking and my mouth began to water. Grinning, I almost skipped down the stairs.

My grin faded as I saw Dan cleaning the soot from the fireplace. I would have laughed at the sight of him covered in it, but then I saw the trails that tears had left.

"Dan?"

He jumped as though I'd caught him doing something worse than cleaning. Then I looked around and noticed that everything was clean. I mean, everything. He'd dusted, swept, mopped, and had the vacuum ready to go for when he finished what he was doing, although, to his credit, he hadn't dropped a speck.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, standing up quickly. "I'll get back to the kitchen in a second, ok? I have the bacon on low so that it doesn't burn. I mean, I don't know if you like it burnt or if you like it the way my mother does, she calls it 'still kickin'. Dad likes his kind of medium, Freddie is like mom, I think it's just that he doesn't want to wait for it to cook all the way through, and I like mine well done. How do you like your bacon? I never asked. I should have asked..." he continued to ramble nervously.

I walked quickly over to him and hugged him to calm him.

"No!"

I was surprised that he'd raised his voice but he quickly explained, "I'm all dirty, and I was about to go and toss this in the ash pit outside, then come back and wash up a bit before I did some more cooking."

He seemed about to say something else but I cut him off as gently as I could, "Dan, hon, what's going on? I mean, I never thought of myself as a messy person but... you've got this place looking like something out of *House Beautiful*. Did you sleep at all last night?"

I knew the answer as soon as I saw his gaze turn to the patterned rug on the living room floor. I'd known from the start that he wasn't the sort to lie. I also knew, from spending time with my nieces and nephews that they couldn't keep eye contact when they told a fib. It was a tell in my book.

"Dan, you didn't sleep at all?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, yeah, I did sleep... a little," he finally admitted.

"How little?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

Dan shrugged, "Enough, I guess,"

"You guess?"

He shrugged again, still not looking directly at me.

"Ok, here's what we're going to do. You're going to throw that into the ash pit outside, and then come in and take a shower. I'll finish cooking,"

I saw immediately that he was going to argue with me but I put my foot down. "I don't want to have to swat you first thing in the morning, it's not my favorite way to wake up, so you, do as you were told. Now I'll finish making breakfast, then we can talk, understand?"

Dan nodded mutely, then turned to bring the pail outside to dump the contents. He came back less than a minute later and headed for the downstairs bathroom, his head hung down as though he were headed to the gallows instead of the shower.

"Dan," I called gently, but he didn't respond, so I tried again, using his mother's nickname for him, "Danny-boo,"

With that, he stopped and looked at me with a sad expression.

"Dan, honey, come here, please?" I asked quietly, "you're not in any kind of trouble, but I know that you're upset about something. Please tell me."

"I need a shower," he answered dully.

Realizing that I wasn't going to get much out of him at the moment I nodded and replied, "I'll go into the laundry room and get some clean clothes for you. You go on ahead and shower."

Dan hesitated. He seemed as though he wanted to say something but then closed his mouth and continued on his way to the bathroom. I did as promised and put his clothes on the vanity before going back to work on breakfast.

I looked at the bacon and shook my head. Well, I thought, he did say he likes his well done. I took the very crispy bacon out of the pan, placed it on some paper towel that he had set aside, and put fresh slices in for myself after I poured a little of the grease into a frying pan to make some eggs.

Dan came back into the kitchen quickly. There wasn't a speck of dust or grime anywhere to be seen on him. He'd done a thorough job and even his fingernails were clean, something even I couldn't manage to do without using a special scrubber and nearly taking the skin off along with the dirt I sometimes accumulated while working in my garden.

"I'll do that," he said quickly, trying to take the spatula out of my hand.

"Dan, sit down, please," I replied, "We'll be ready to eat in just a few minutes, alright?"

"I should be doing that," he insisted.

"Dan. Sit down. Now. After breakfast, you can tell me what's going on with you."

Seeing him about to argue I said sternly, "Sit down, now."

He finally sat down, then popped right back up.

"What did I just..."

"I forgot the orange juice," he said quickly, "and the glasses. It'll just take a half a minute."

"Fine," I sighed, "Thirty seconds."

Daniel had everything on the table in about fifteen seconds, then sat down obediently with his hands clasped on the tabletop. I nearly laughed but managed to stop myself. His race with time was funny to me, but I worried that he'd think I was laughing at him, so I schooled my features back to whatever passed for normal for me, then turned toward him with the platters of food.

His eyes widened in surprise. "You got the bacon just right! Even mom doesn't make it right and she knows I like it well done. Thank you, Jonah!" he grinned as he took the five pieces of crispy bacon. I served him his eggs, over hard, and put a few of the breakfast sausages onto his plate.

His features fell once again when he saw the sausages.

"What's wrong Dan? You don't like sausage?"

He shook his head, "I don't like spicy food," he explained.

"Well, now I know something new about you." I grinned as I speared the sausages off of his plate with my fork.

He gave me an odd look which I didn't understand. Thinking that it might have been caused by my boarding house reach, I apologized and told him that my fork hadn't been used yet.

"It's not that," Dan said thoughtfully, "We kiss enough that a few germs here or there hardly makes a difference."

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong, hon?"

I could tell that he was about to say no, so I made it an order. A gently phrased order, but an order nonetheless. 

"Talk to me, Dan. I don't keep secrets from you, except maybe birthday or Christmas presents," I amended, "and I don't want you to keep any from me.  
Remember what I said yesterday? I promised you that you could talk to me any time, about anything, and I meant it."

"I should be taking care of you..." Dan said.

"Honey, we take care of each other," I interjected quietly. Seeing his expression, I said, "I'm sorry babe, I know you don't like being interrupted, but I have to know... what makes you think that you have to take care of me?"

"I don't want to start any trouble, and I'm worried... that you won't believe me."

"Look at me, Dan, and tell me what's wrong."

I was heartened when he did as he was told, holding eye contact with me. It meant a lot since I knew that it was something else that made him uncomfortable.

"Someone said something yesterday, that's all."

"Who was it, Dan? What did they say?" I asked as calmly as I could. I didn't want to frighten him, because I knew for sure that he would clam right up rather than say anything that might upset me.

"It doesn't matter. I think... the person..." he avoided mentioning a gender, which I thought was a little sneaky on his part, "said that I was a... a... um... prospector?"

"A prospector?"

"Yeah, something like that. Someone who looks for gold."

My back straightened and I had to concentrate on keeping my expression neutral. "So... someone called you a gold digger?" I asked as mildly as I could manage.

"Yeah, that was it. The person said that I was... " he paused to think of the words. "They said I was nothing, and that I just expected you to pay all the bills, and buy me a diamond ring. S... They said that you'd find out about me sooner or later. They said that everyone was thinking it but no one had the nerve to say it themselves. They said..." he paused and fought back the sorrow and tears that threatened to spill out.

He looked at me, the first of the tears sliding down his cheek, which he abruptly wiped away before picking up another slice of bacon and taking a bite. I could see that he was having trouble swallowing it so I knew that he was still upset about what had happened. "Can you tell me what they said, hon?" I asked.

Once again he merely nodded as he tackled his eggs, first eating the whites, saving the yokes for later, then polishing off the bacon. He began to stand again so I told him to have a seat and that I'd get him anything he wanted.

"It's ok," he said quietly, "I just wanted more bacon."

"I'll put it on for you," I replied with a smile, "just sit tight,"

Dan began to stand up again and I gave him a stern look.

"I'm just going to pour the orange juice," he said quietly.

My expression immediately softened, "I'm sorry, hon, go ahead while I take care of the bacon."

He didn't respond as he poured the juice into the two large glasses he'd put on the table. I normally put two smaller glasses out, but I remembered that he loved orange juice, and could never seem to get enough.

I left the bacon to cook on low again to avoid splatters, then sat down and began to talk to him about the things we might be able to do on our day off, asking him if he liked any of the ideas.

"Can we just stay home today?" he asked softly, "I don't feel like doing anything much."

It thrilled me that he'd referred to the house as home. He might not want to talk much this morning, but if I could get him to relax a bit, I thought perhaps he'd be willing to tell me what else had happened yesterday, and who in my family would have been cruel enough to say those things to him.

He began to get up to check on the bacon but I made him sit down again, "Let me take care of that, Dan," I repeated. He sat back down reluctantly. "Hon, I don't know who said those things to you, and I hope you'll tell me so that I can take care of the matter. In the meantime, I'm more than happy to get you whatever you need or want. The only thing I want you to do is to promise me that you'll go back to bed and sleep for a couple of hours... after the movie. Deal?"

Dan shrugged again, "I'm not tired,"

"Hon, just indulge me. If you can't sleep you can come right back down and we can make a list of the things we'd like to do today, ok? And don't you dare nod at me," I continued, "Verbal answers are preferable, understand?"

"I understand," he replied tartly, "I'm not stupid."

I bit back an angry retort and chalked his foul mood as being caused by the things that he'd been told yesterday, and lack of proper sleep, but I had to nip this in the bud before it got any worse.

"Dan, I know that you're upset, but I don't like you talking to me like that. It's disrespectful. I don't intend to speak to you like that, and I want you to return the favor."

"Sorry," he said, sounding truculent. 

I took a deep breath. My mother used to tell me to pick my battles, a fancy way of telling me to drop whatever I was saying and think about it before I started a fight with one of my brothers or sisters.

I got up again to turn the bacon which was nearly done, so instead of sitting back down I just watched as it crisped up the way he said he liked it. I took the plate that he'd used for the bacon the first time, changed the paper towel and served it to him before noticing the full pot of coffee he'd made, and poured a cup for myself. I knew that he disliked the taste of coffee, so I appreciated the fact that he'd made some for me.

Again he said, "I should be taking care of you,"

"You do take care of me, Dan. You make me happy. Who could ask for more than that? "

He shrugged once again and I bit back my words before I could upset him more.

Quietly he took another slice of bacon and chewed on it thoughtfully, though he never said anything other than, "Thank you."

As soon as we finished breakfast, Dan jumped up and began to collect the plates, utensils and the glasses we'd used, and began to hand wash them.  
"There aren't enough to put in the dishwasher," he explained, as he washed them thoroughly before putting them in the drainer by the sink. He then put some dish soap on a sponge and began to wipe up the little bit of grease that had spattered around the pans.

"Ok, kiddo, that's enough for now, ok?" asked as I saw him getting ready to clean some more. "It's movie time."

Dan looked at the clock which read 6:30 AM.

"Are you sure that there'll be anything to watch now?"

"No," I replied with a smile, "but we have a whole bookcase filled with just DVDs. I'm sure we can find something to watch. Come on, hon, help me find one."

Seeming relieved that I wasn't going to ask him any more questions, for the time being, he wiped his hands carefully. I took his hand in mine and led him to the den.

After an extensive search and a pile of 'maybe's,' we finally decided on Enemy Mine. Dan had never heard of it before but after we played it once, he'd decided that it was one of his favorites. As for myself, I never got tired of it either, so we put the disc in and sat on the couch to watch, he put his head on my shoulder and relaxed.

About fifteen minutes later I could hear his soft snoring. I grinned and shook my head as I looked at him fondly. I slipped out from beneath him and put a pillow in my place before covering him up with the afghan and turning the movie off. I'd let him sleep for as long as his body needed. 

After making sure that he was comfortable, I went back upstairs to change the sheets on the bed and put fresh ones on. Today was laundry day so I gathered the sheets along with the clothes in the hamper and brought them down to the laundry room as quietly as I could. It seemed to me as though everything I did was very loud, at least to my ears, and I worried that all the noise would wake Daniel, but he never moved an inch. 

I sighed in relief, put the laundry pod in and started it up. I closed the door behind me, the click the latch made seemed to echo loudly in my ears. I stopped to listen again, but he was still out like a light.

Releasing a breath I didn't realize that I was holding, I went into the kitchen again to see what there was for lunch, just in case he slept that long.

I growled in frustration when I realized that we were out of bread, so I wrote a note for Dan just in case he woke up, gathered up more reusable bags than I thought I'd need, and took a drive to the nearest grocery store where I ended up buying a cartful of items, a bad habit of mine, I had to admit to myself, but I hated it when my refrigerator and cabinets were that bare.

It took a good hour, shopping and checking out included. Then after I'd loaded up all the bags I got back into my car and started it up, only to find that I was low on gas, so I stopped at a station as well to fill the tank.

After all of that, I went home again to put the groceries away, checking in on Dan once again to make sure that he was still asleep. Again, his soft snores were a giveaway. I smiled at him, admiring his face which looked positively angelic, before turning away to switch over the laundry.

Daniel had gotten into the habit of leaving some of his clothes at my place, and I had put them in the wash as well. It was then that I took a good look at the slacks he liked to wear. They were at least one, maybe two sizes too big, and the cuffs looked like they'd been chewed on by a psychotic dog, I decided to go to the local discount department store because I knew that he would be upset if he thought that I had bought him full-priced clothing.

Before I left on my new errand, I stopped to throw away the old note and wrote a new one, telling him where I'd gone and what time I thought I'd be back. He had a cell phone which he hardly ever used, but I had programmed my number into his contact list so that he could get hold of me any time he needed me. I propped it up against the sugar bowl on the table and went back out.

I knew that he didn't like jeans so I bought him some cargo pants, sweats, chinos, a pair of dress slacks, and a handful of different colored, long and short-sleeved polo shirts that I was sure would compliment his hair and eye color. I stayed away from brighter colors because with his fair skin I knew that they would make him looked washed out.  
Picking up a few things for myself I paid for the lot and headed home, a bit earlier than I'd expected. 

Once inside my house, I could feel that something was missing. I looked around and saw that the note was no longer where I had put it. I worried for a moment but then noticed something on the bottom of the note.

In messy print, he told me that his mother had called and asked him to do a little work at her house. He also wrote that he'd been called into work afterward and that he'd be getting out of there around 5:00. I looked at the clock, then set my phone alarm to 4:30 so that I could pick him up. The water on the roads would definitely have frozen up by the time he got out, and I didn't want him to slip on the black ice that blended into the asphalt so flawlessly.

I put our new clothes in the wash so that they'd be less starchy and would be dry by the time I had to pick him up. I knew he'd love the sweats since the one pair that he owned was worn nearly threadbare at the knees and had a few holes in them.

I made myself a sandwich, poured myself some soda and sat down to continue watching the movie until I heard the timer on the washing machine ping.

I switched the laundry to the dryer, thankfully the last load for the day, and sat back down to continue watching Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett, Jr having a verbal sparring match, laughing as always at the scene where Dennis's character got upset by Louis's comment about Mickey Mouse. There was no way that I could pronounce Louis's character's name even on my best day.

The next thing I knew, my phone alarm was going off. I jumped up, a little disoriented at first until I remembered that I had to pick Dan up from work. I put my jacket on quickly, grabbed my keys and wallet and headed out. I cranked up the heat because I wanted to make sure that the car would be warm by the time he got into it, then headed out, a little more slowly than usual since the first thing I did was skid on the ice. I knew I'd get there in time for him, though.

To my relief, I arrived about five minutes early. I parked as close to the doors as I could so that I'd see him when he came out.

About ten minutes later I saw him and honked my horn. He jumped, startled at first until I got out of the car and called to him. He smiled, lighting up the grey, dreary day, and walked over to me, gratefully getting into the car.

Before I knew it he'd leaned over and given me a kiss. Not a peck on the cheek as he frequently did, but one right on the lips. When he broke the kiss, he looked at me a little shyly until I leaned forward and gave him one of my own.

He smiled at me once more before reaching back for his seat belt and as soon as we were settled in I drove us back to my house.

When we arrived I helped him take off his jacket through his complaints and made him sit down in the den before going into the laundry room and taking still warm clothes out of the dryer. I picked out a pair of grey sweat pants and a light blue long-sleeved polo, and clean, dry socks.

He looked at the clothes as though they were aliens. "Those aren't my clothes," he said a little defensively.

"They are now, Hon," I smiled, "Come on, get into these, you'll be a lot more comfortable."

"Are you going to watch me?" he asked me with another of his sweet, shy smiles.

"Do you want me to?" I asked with a wink.

"You can stay... if you want."

"I want," I replied with a grin.

Dan took off his shoes first, and I gaped at his feet. His socks were bloody.

"Dan! What happened to your feet?"

Daniel looked down and shrugged, "I don't know. I didn't even realize that there was anything wrong."

I took him back into the bathroom, ran some warm water, then had him put his feet in so that the partially dried blood wouldn't stick to whatever injuries were underneath.

Eventually, as carefully as I could, I was able to peel his socks off. I tried not to look as horrified as I felt. It looked as though someone had used a potato peeler on his toes.

"Did your new shoes do that?" I asked stupidly. Of course, his shoes had been the cause. I sincerely doubted that anyone else had hurt him like that. I dried off his feet, put some antiseptic cream and bandaids on the wounds and then slid the still warm, dry socks onto his feet.

With that taken care of, I finally breathed easier. "Ok, hon, let's get you into the rest of those new clothes."

Back in the den, I helped him take off his too-large pants, which is when I saw the bloody scrape on his knee. I looked up at him and asked, as calmly as possible, "I suppose you don't know what caused this either?"

Daniel smiled at me, rather sheepishly and said, "I fell on the ice on the way to work. It's ok though, it doesn't hurt."

I went back into the bathroom, picked up the bottle of Wound Wash, a towel, the tube of antiseptic cream, a large gauze pad, and medical tape. I was glad that I'd picked them up when I'd gone shopping earlier.

I cleaned the wound the best I could, carefully smeared some of the cream onto his knee, wincing every time he hissed in pain, but eventually, that too was taken care of.

I looked back up at him and asked, "Is there anything else I should know about?"  
He hid his left hand quickly and I sighed. This evening wasn't going the way I'd hoped. 

"Show me," I said in a resigned tone. 

Reluctantly he showed me his hand. That's when I saw the bandaid on his finger, also bloody from the inside out. Again I took him into the bathroom and washed his hand to loosen the bandaid. His finger had a dime-sized blood blister, and there was an ugly cut. Not bad enough for stitches but bad enough.

"Dan? What happened here?"

"I was deadheading some roses at my mother's house and I got my finger caught between the clipper handles. I think that if the shears hadn't been so rusty it wouldn't have happened," he replied in a matter of fact tone.

"Rusty? You caught your finger in a rusty tool? Why were you using rusty shears in the first place?! What on earth was your mother thinking?"

Dan's face grew stormy, "My mother had nothing to do with this," he said, anger tinging his voice. "I knew that there were shears in the garage, so I picked it up and used that."

"Daniel... did you at least go to have a tetanus shot? Did your mother at least call your doctor?"

"She didn't know about it. I just went into the bathroom and washed it off. And I don't have a doctor."

"What do you mean, you don't have a doctor? Where do you go when you're injured or sick?"

"I just take care of myself. If I feel sick I just go to bed. And this is just a cut. Nothing to worry about."

"Daniel. Rusty. Shears." I replied concisely. "Do you realize what could happen to you if that gets infected?" I asked while cleaning and bandaging that wound as well, trying to ignore the purple bruise that surrounded the 'cut'. "When was the last time you saw a doctor?"

My Dan thought about it for a few moments, and then said, "When I was around 18. After that, I just refused to go anymore. Doctors are a bunch of quacks, and I don't trust them."

"So you haven't been to a doctor in eight years?"

Once again, Dan looked thoughtful as he counted in his head. "Yeah, I guess so."

"What insurance do you have? You do have insurance, don't you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him, more than afraid that he'd say no. 

"Yeah," Dan replied, reluctantly, "My mother helped me fill out the forms."

"Give me your card,"

"I don..."

"Give. Me. Your. Card. Now." I commanded. My tone was level, but it was authoritative enough to get through his head that I wasn't messing around.

He handed me two cards. The first one was a state-issued insurance card, and the other was a Social Security Disability card. I shook my head and took my cell phone out of my pocket.

As I began to punch the numbers in, he tried to dissuade me again. "Jonah, I really don..."

"Hush," I commanded once again, "I need to hear this menu. While I make this call I want you to put that clean shirt on. No arguments."

Daniel did as he was told, but with ill grace. Afterward, he plopped down on the couch with his arms crossed.

After speaking with a live person, finally, I had a list of doctors whom we could call. I pulled a note pad and a pen from the desk drawer and began making calls. I knew that they would want to speak to Dan and that he might possibly not cooperate, so I called on his behalf, claiming to be him. As I spoke, he gave me a dirty look that surprised me. I had no idea that he was capable of making a face like that since he always looked so placid.

"Wipe that look off of your face, Dan," I demanded quietly. I was taking no chances of being overheard, so even though I'd kept my voice down, I still had my hand over the mouthpiece.

After the appointment was set I turned to him and told him that his appointment was for tomorrow morning before he had to go to work that afternoon.

"I told you I don't like doctors," he said, his voice monotone but harder than I'd ever heard it.

"Daniel, let me put it to you this way, I love you. I don't want you to get sick, or worse since you don't seem to care about yourself from what I saw today,"

"I do..."

Even though I knew that he hated to be interrupted, I silenced him by holding up my hand. "No, you don't, otherwise you'd have told your mother, or me about what happened, especially with those shears. You might need a tetanus shot."

"That's what I *don't* want!" he exclaimed.

"If the doctor says you need one, then you're going to get one if I have to sit on you to make you get it. Got me?"

Daniel stood up and began to stalk past me, but I grabbed him by the arm, turned him around and gave him three solid swats, two for the injuries he hadn't told me about, and one for not taking better care of himself.

His shocked expression was almost frightening to me. He didn't make a sound but his eyes were wide with what might have been fear.

I turned him toward me and made him look me in the eyes. "Dan," I began, almost afraid of the answer I'd get, "Did... were you abused as a kid? I mean, did your mother or father hit you a lot?"

He looked at me for a moment before answering. "My mother hit me once for hitting her, but... other than that, no. It was the kids in the neighborhood and at school who did the worst of it. I had a split lip, but no one called my mother. She only found out at the end of the day when she came to pick me up."

"How old were you?" I asked as gently as I could.

"Ummm, I don't know... I was in the third grade, I think. Second or third."

I was shocked. "What the hell kind of school were you in?"

"It was a public school," he answered, obviously unsure of what I was asking him.

"And the teachers never stepped in to help?"

"No, not really. They were either not in the room, or had their backs to the class. When she saw that I was hurt, she brought me to the school nurse. Miss Davis, the nurse, stopped the bleeding and put a cold pack on my lips to stop the swelling. When I got back, Tommy, the boy who attacked me, wasn't there, and we just finished class like always."

I could feel and hear my teeth grinding, a bad habit I'd picked up from my own father but I didn't seem to be able to stop myself when I was really angry. I couldn't blame Angie, who hadn't been told at all, but that school... if so much time hadn't passed I'd have gone there and straightened that teacher out. The principal and the nurse too, for not calling Angie or Seb to immediately tell them what had happened to their son.

I wrapped Daniel in my arms and hugged him tightly, kissing him on the temple. I was happy that he didn't feel the need to withdraw from me, but instead, he allowed me to pull him in, body to body, something he'd never felt comfortable doing. Before last night, I thought to myself. The cherry on the cake was when he wrapped his arms around my chest and hugged me back.

"Come on, Hon, let's make something for dinner, and then we'll go to bed for a bit. You got next to no sleep last night, and you have to be tired even though you might not feel it now."

"I'm not sleepy," he protested.

"Try," I said with a smile, and if you can't sleep we'll watch a movie. Deal?"

Sure that he would win that bet, Daniel agreed. We had a quick and easy dinner of mac and cheese, and when Dan insisted that he was full I led him upstairs and to bed. I was surprised when he took out his phone.

"Dan... I doubt that you can sleep while you're talking on the phone."

"I just have to call my mother and let her know that I'm here and alright," he explained.

I gave myself a mental head slap. I wasn't much better than that teacher, I thought to myself, forgetting that Angie would most likely be worried when her son didn't come home.

"I'm fine, mom. Honestly. I'm just really tired and Jonah wants me to try to sleep for a little while."

He listened for a moment before covering the mouthpiece with his hand just as I'd done minutes before. "Am I going to be home tonight?" he whispered.

"If you want to, I'll be happy to drive you home," I whispered back.

Uncovering the phone he replied, "Probably not. I've had a really long day."

I grinned and covered it with my hand so that Dan wouldn't ask me what I was grinning about. I wasn't sure how I could explain how happy it made me that Dan had made that decision on his own.

"Ok, bye mom," he said as he hit the end button.

He looked at me with those deep blue-grey eyes and asked, "Will you sleep with me again?"

"Sure, hon," I replied, so, socks and all we climbed into my bed, drew up the covers, and he fell asleep almost immediately. This time I kept a firm but gentle grip on Daniel, just in case he felt like getting up and going into another one of his cleaning frenzies in the middle of the night.

He did wake up in the middle of the night, but not to clean, because I woke up to the feeling of being kissed from my jawline, down my neck, and to my somehow bare chest. I could feel more buttons being undone as I became more alert. I opened my eyes to find Dan in just his boxers, leaning over me, kissing every inch of exposed flesh that he could reach.

I gasped a little when he nibbled on the sensitive spot between my neck and shoulder and I trained my eyes on him in the semi-darkness. 

"Are you sure about this Dan?" I asked, aroused by his ministrations.

"Yeah," came the still shy reply, "If it's ok with you?"

"It's more than ok with me, Hon," I said as I began to help him remove my clothing.

TBC


	21. Daniel and Jonah

Daniel and Jonah 

Thanks to Dungeon Master for sharing his ideas with me!

This has to be one of the most frightening nights of my life, something I've been dreading for ages.

A woman has come to our door, visibly shaken and speaking so quickly that even if I understood the language I wouldn't have been able to follow her.  
Taking her hands gently I pulled her into the house. The poor woman was shaking and crying, I did my best to calm her but she couldn't be consoled. While I was sure she must speak some English since she was dressed as a nurse from the local hospital I assured her that I would be back in just a moment. She began to stand up, holding onto my arm, but I asked her again to please have a seat, and that I was only going to make some tea for us.

"I'll be right back, ma'am, I promise," I said quietly.

She took hold of my arm and stood up, speaking rapidly in her language. When she began to cry I put my arms around her and held her close. Once she calmed again I led her into the kitchen with me and sat her down at the table.

"I'm just going to make some tea for us," I explained gently, "My partner should be home soon anyway, and it's a cold night. I know he'd appreciate a warm drink as well when he gets home," I said bracingly as she finally gave up my arm.

That was a mistake because as soon as I said that she started to cry again, speaking rapidly once more. I knew it wasn't Spanish, or Italian, I knew a few words in both languages but nothing she was saying correlated to what little I knew.

Taking her with me, I took a few steps toward the stove, checked the water level in the teapot, then finding it satisfactory I turned the flame up under it before I led her back to the table where I sat her gently back on one of the chairs and took a seat close to her, holding her cold hands in my warm ones.

"Miss, please," I said quietly as I chaffed her hands gently, "please tell me what happened. Did you run out of gas, or do you have a flat tire?" I asked. I hadn't heard an accident on the street and there were no police cars or fire trucks in the area. Besides, I thought to myself, no one would get this upset over a flat tire.  
The tea kettle began to steam so I made two cups and brought one to her, along with honey, lemon, sugar, and milk, since I had no clue how she liked her tea. She made up her tea with shaking hands but at least she'd stopped crying. Her breath was still hitching a little but at least she seemed calmer.

She took a few sips of her tea followed by several deep breaths to calm herself. I didn't try to rush her so I kept quiet and observed her from the corner of my eye. I knew that she would tell me what was wrong as soon as she could. I'd been going to ask if someone was after her but I was afraid that if I'd asked that and she'd said yes, that it would start her crying again. 

Finally, she was able to calm down but still seemed unable to speak English. There was still a quaver to her voice as she tried to explain what had happened to her to upset her so badly.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, I don't understand, please, take another sip of tea. I'm here, and I'm listening."

She did as I asked and I smiled at her, "Please, ma'am, if you're up to it, tell me what happened and I'll do whatever you need me to do."

She took a few more deep breaths before she handed something to me. A wallet. A very recognizable wallet that Dan was especially fond of because of the silver dragon that adorned it. My heart dropped when I saw it. Doing my best to stay calm for the lady's sake, I put the wallet aside.

"Ma'am," I said, trying to stay as calm as I could through the sudden thunderous beating of my heart, "can you tell me where you found this?"

"Young man," she finally managed to say before she started crying again. I was just about to jump up and call the hospital to see if Dan had been admitted but just then there was a knock at the door, followed by someone ringing the doorbell.

I was just not in the mood for visitors at the time, but I had to answer the door when the knocking came again, a little more forcefully this time. I prayed that it was Dan and that he'd just locked himself out.

When I answered the door, there were two men standing there. One, a tall, earnest-looking young man, and another who looked almost ethereal in the moonlight that glinted off of his platinum blonde hair.

"Gentlemen, can I help you?" I asked, trying to be cordial despite all that was happening.

"My mother is here?" the younger man asked me, a combination of fear and concern on his face.

"Yes, please, come in," I said, stepping aside for them to enter.

The woman heard her son's voice and came out of the kitchen to catch her son up in a hug, which he returned. She then said something in that language that I was still trying to work out.

"Sir," the pale man said, "We're very sorry to intrude on your evening, but Emira called us. The only thing we could make out of what she was saying was something about a man wearing black, and this address."

"Please come in, gentlemen," I said, despite the fact that my heart was racing. My desire to go out now and see if I could find Daniel nearly overwhelmed me."Please, have a seat, if you would," I invited pointing toward the kitchen and somehow managing to keep my own calm which was hanging on by a thread at this point.

The younger man, keeping his arm around his mother led her back to the kitchen and led her to the seat she'd occupied just a few moments ago. He handed her the teacup she'd been using and I could tell that he was asking her to try to calm herself by the tone of voice that he was using.

Making two more cups of tea I brought them to the table for the newcomers.

The men both thanked me but neither drank the tea immediately. The pale man finally introduced himself and his partner, while Samiyo, the younger man, spoke in whispers to his mother.

"Has she been able to tell you what happened?" I asked the young man, "I'm sorry but I couldn't understand her, she was so upset. She gave me this," I continued. "This is my partner's wallet. Did she tell you where she found it by any chance?" I was polite and kept my tone level, but my desire to run out of the house to look for him was nearly stronger than getting the story first hand.

The young man spoke softly to his mother who seemed ready to begin crying again, but she told her son what had happened and he translated for me.

Emira, Samiyo's mother, had been driving home from work using the most direct, though the darker route when she heard a thump on her car. Afraid that she'd hit an animal in the semi-darkness she pulled over, and to her distress, she found that she'd hit a young man who was getting up slowly, dusting off his jacket and pants.  
She'd run to the man to check on him.

"The man had seemed nervous, my mama is telling me. She offered to call an ambulance but he kept saying no and was backing away from her. She wanted to call the police to report the accident. That's when the man in black turned and ran away," Sam looked at Jonah, then at the wallet that lay forgotten on the table.  
"He ran away? He got hit by a car, and ran away." I said softly to myself, shaking my head in disbelief.

Beckett cleared his throat and asked the question that was on his, and most likely Sam's minds. "He was wearing all black on a dark street... is he in some kind of trouble?"

"No," I began to explain, "His work clothes and his winter jacket are all black. Even though it's technically Spring it's still been too cold to wear the lighter uniforms. He must have been walking back from work," I couldn't stop looking at the clock. I still wanted to run out of the house to look for him, or at least make some calls to the hospital and police station to help me find him.

"Why doesn't he take a bus home?" Samiyo asked, curiously, "Or you can pick him up after dark?"

I felt my face flush with the heat of embarrassment. "Because he refuses to take the bus, and he insists that he's a grown man and has been taking that route to work for years. So I let him walk," I replied.

"Does he have a cell phone?" the one named Beckett asked gently.

"Yes, but he never uses it. I usually find it on the counter or somewhere else with a dead battery," I admitted reluctantly. "I should have insisted that I pick him up from work the times that he gets out late, but he disagreed, no matter what I said or did, saying that he resented being treated like a little kid. I won't make that mistake again. A classic case of locking the barn door after the horses have escaped." There was no humor in my voice as I said that. 

"Why did he run?" Emira asked, concerned. She had a pleasant, soothing voice. Her accent was lovely, but I put that thought aside as I explained that Daniel had a fear of the police, and of hospitals, doctors, and nurses. I skirted around the exact reasons. I have no doubt that Mrs. Emira saw right through me.

The guilt was almost overwhelming, as was my desire to leave them all in the house while I scouted for Daniel.

Before anyone could say another word, I heard the door open, and Dan calling a hello out to me.

Before I could even reply, Emira was on her feet, running to reach Daniel. She wrapped her arms around him and was saying something to him, again in her language.  
Dan stiffened up, as he always does when someone he doesn't know touches him, and she seemed to have picked up on that because she let him go, crying from relief and I think happiness, before taking his shoulders and shaking him a little before letting him go.

Samiyo took his mother gently by the shoulder and spoke to her quietly, giving her a gentle hug. Whatever he said helped her to calm down considerably.   
Then it was my turn to hug him. Hard. Keep in mind that I think that Daniel is the world's best hugger, and he could give bear hugs that would put bears to shame. This time it was I who hugged him tightly.

"Where were you, Dan?" I nearly cried, anger, fear, and relief fighting for dominance inside my gut, "You scared all of us nearly to death! Mrs. Emira was terrified, not knowing how and why you ran. Don't ever do that again," I said a little more quietly, "I can't lose you. You mean too much to me. Understand?"

"Yeah," my Daniel managed to gasp out. That was when I finally released my hold a little bit, but not enough for him to get very far away as I helped him out of his jacket and led him into the kitchen with the others.

"I have dinner ready if anyone would like to stay and eat? I think it would be a good idea if we got to know each other a bit, now that we have him back, safe and sound."  
I think that Samiyo would have politely declined the offer but Emira spoke up with that beautiful voice and accepted for the three of them. "That is very kind of you, Jo-nah. Thank you. It smells de-lic-ious," she said with a smile that could have melted an iceberg. "May I please use your bathroom?" she asked,

"Of course, Mrs. Emira. It's just down the hallway to the left, you can't miss it." I smiled back. She was one of those rare women that, had I not been gay, I would have fallen in love with at first sight. 

"You must call me Emira, Jo-nah," she said with another of those wonderful smiles, "We are friends now, yes?"

"Yes, Emira. Definitely friends,"

Once she had left the room I began to set the table, asking Daniel to give me a hand.

When he was close to me he asked, "Am I in trouble?"

"We'll talk about that later, hon, in the meantime lets just have a good time with our new friends."

Samiyo smiled at Dan, that same slightly gap-toothed smile as his mother, and began to sing quietly, "Should I stay or should I go now? If I stay there will be trouble, if I go it will be double."

My back was to them for the moment so I'm not entirely sure what happened, but Sam stopped singing and gave his partner a wounded look. Dan, for his part, stood still with a puzzled expression on his face.

I cleared my throat a little and said "Dan?" That seemed to be enough to get him moving again. I made a pot of coffee, checked the roast that I'd been making for dinner, and then put the vegetables in the steamer so that they'd still be fresh and not like that soggy canned stuff that even I disliked.

We finished setting the table, and the food was ready just as Mrs. Emira... Emira, I reminded myself... returned to the kitchen. I pulled out a chair for her and was rewarded with another of those sunshine smiles.

We had a leisurely dinner, though I saw Dan wince more than once while trying to cut his piece of roast. I made a promise to myself to check him out once everyone had gone. 

"Do you have time for a little dessert?" I asked.

"We have already taken enough of your time, Jo-nah. We will see each other again soon, yes?"

"I'd like that, Emira. Sam, Beckett. I'm glad to have met you, though I'd have preferred it under different circumstances," I added with a wry chuckle.

"I too," Emira said with a stern look at Dan who blushed and nodded. 

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Emira," he replied sincerely.

"Just Emira, lovely boy. Naughty, yes, and lovely too, We are friends now," she said, reaching out to shake his hand. Dan only looked at it for a moment before tentatively shaking it. 

"Yes, you are a lovely boy," she said again, "but you must learn to think before you act from now on, yes?"

"Yes, Mrs... I mean Emira. Thank you."

"You are welcome, sweet boy," she replied with another flash of sunshine. I saw her son help her get her coat on and couldn't help but think to myself that it was rare to find any man who still helped their wife, girlfriend, or mother do that anymore. Of course, I also knew that some women didn't appreciate that kind of gesture. I could never understand that. The way I'd been brought up was to always be a gentleman and to have respect for women.

Before they left, Sam and Beck programmed their numbers into my phone and visa versa. Emira had left her phone in her car but Sam promised to put the numbers into hers as well.

Dan and I watched our guests as they walked to their cars and waved as they drove away before going back inside.

He started to walk toward the kitchen but I pulled him over to the couch.

"Take your shirt off," I commanded. I didn't shout but he knew that I wasn't kidding with him, so he complied as quickly as he could.

"Now your pants."

He looked pensive as he sat down to untie his shoes, another thing I admired about him, doing that rather than toeing them off and ruining them in the process.  
When I got a good look at the waistband of his pants I thought my eyes would pop right out. It was even bigger than I'd thought, a couple of sizes too big and held up by a canvas belt that was even larger, and tied in the front. It looked as though those pants would fall right off if he moved wrong. 

Once he had his shoes off he put them neatly aside and began to untie the belt that held up his pants. Once he had them off I reached for him. He only startled a little but then settled down when I didn't do more than take a close look at him, checking for bruises or possible broken bones.

"Any neck or back pain, Dan?"

"No."

"Any pinching feelings when you move your arms and legs, or when you take a deep breath?" 

He picked up his legs to flex and extend one leg at a time, which is when I noticed the huge, scrape on his right knee. It was obviously fresh, so I brought him into the bathroom, washed and bandaged his knee, and gave him a look that had him once again avoiding my gaze.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Dan shrugged, "I'm not sure,"

"Turn around,"

Dan did as I asked. Other than a scrape on his right hand and knee where he'd obviously fallen, I didn't see any other marks on his body, no bruises, or signs of any badly broken bones. "I still think we should bring you to the hospital. Getting hit by a car and then running wasn't the best thing you could have done. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Jonah," he replied quietly.

"You're sure you're not hurt anywhere else?"

"I don't know,"

"Hold on a moment. Relax." I insisted.

Dan relaxed slightly as I walked into the laundry room and brought out some of the new clothes I'd bought him.

"Those aren't mine," he said, confused.

"They are now. Get dressed now, hon."

I heard Dan gasp as he tried to pull the cargo pants up.

Immediately alert I asked, "Do you feel any pain?"

"Wrist... just a little twinge," he tried to assure me.

"Where?"

"Right wrist. I'm fine Jonah, honestly." 

"I know that you're in more pain than you're admitting to, and I'm aware that you don't want to go to the hospital, but that's where we're going. I'll call Dr. Tom and tell him we're headed there."

Dan rolled his eyes and began to protest.

"Hush now," I ordered, as I waited for his answering service to pick up. Finally, after what seemed to be forever, the woman answered and I gave her the information, including the fact that we were going to the hospital and that Dan was nervous about it. I asked if Dr. Tom could either meet us there or have someone he knew to please treat Dan.

She asked me to hold. I, having no choice, held on. I turn the speaker on so that I'd have my hands free to help Dan finish dressing. He gasped in pain when he tried to pull his socks up. I gently pushed his hands away so that I could do it for him. 

I had also brought out the new sneakers I'd bought for him. This turned out to be a necessity since he insisted that one pair of shoes was more than enough to get by with, completely ignoring the fact that he was wearing out a pair of shoes per month, sometimes less, because of his insistence on walking to and from work.

"That reminds me, Daniel, no more walking home in the dark. I will," I said, stressing the word, "pick you up whenever you work nights. No discussion or arguments."

"But..." 

"No buts," I told him emphatically, "From now on I will pick you up after dark, or drop you off on your early mornings if needed. That includes when it's raining, snowing, or too hot."

"Jonah, I don't..."

"Obviously, you do. End of discussion, Understood?"

"I'm not stupid, I understand what you're saying. I don't think it's a big deal..."

"When you get hit by a car and run away, then yes, it is a big deal. I've been letting you walk to work because I didn't want to take away your independence, but this just proves to me that while it may be the shortest route to work, it's not the safest. Until we find an alternate route, or you agree to use the bus to get home. Until then I'll be driving you to or from work. No more arguments."

"But, Jonah, I..."

"You're this close to a swat, injured or not. Got me? We're getting you an x-ray of that wrist at least."

We were both surprised when the 'hold' music stopped and we heard Dr. Tom's voice coming from the phone. 

"Hi Jonah," he said in his usual jovial tone, "Hello, Dan. Diane told me what happened. I'll meet you two at the hospital ER."

"Doc," Dan began.

"We'll meet you there," I said, not concerned with etiquette for the moment. "Thanks, Doc."

I turned to Dan, checked him out from head to toe before helping him on with his jacket and then leading him to the car. I buckled him in after he tried to do it himself, emitting another, louder gasp as the pain shot through his wrist again.

When we arrived, Dr. Tom was at the sliding glass doors and directly to registration where Dan was given one of those plastic ID bracelets. I saw him start to shake a bit. I leaned down to him and whispered softly in his ear until the shaking stopped.

Dr. Tom brought us to X-ray himself after making sure that Dan's ankles and knees were alright. To his credit, he ordered a complete exam to be done and he treated all of Dan's limbs.

Once the x-rays were complete he asked us to sit in the waiting room while he took a look at the pictures. 

Before we knew it, he was back with one of the pictures and invited us into his office to show us the results.

"Dan, your right wrist and thumb have minute fractures. We'll put a temporary cast on before you leave, alright?" the doctor said gently with a smile.

"I don't have to stay?" Dan asked tentatively.

"Nope, not bad enough for a stay," the doctor assured him.

My Daniel let out a long breath, as though he'd been holding it for the entire wait. "Thanks, Dr. Tom," he said, sincerely.

Dan had the cast put on, and we were out of the hospital nearly as quickly as we'd arrived. With another round of Thank Yous, we said our goodbyes and headed home.  
"That wasn't nearly as bad as you'd expected, was it?"

"No, but I still don't trust hospitals," he replied, grumpily.

I let the tone slide. I knew he had to be exhausted after working all day and being made to go to the hospital against his will. "You like Dr. Tom though, don't you?"

"Yeah," he admitted reluctantly.

"Alright then. As soon as we get home I'll run a bath for you. We'll wrap up your cast in plastic and I'll help you take a shower."

Dan blushed, very obviously even in the dim light offered by the full moon. I could see his normally pale skin turning darker.

I smiled at him and let him know that I understood how he felt, You're not going to be able to use that arm and wrist for a little while, and we have to keep that cast clean and dry. It'll only be a few weeks, maybe less depending on how you heal, and Doc said he'd monitor your progress in his private office until he's sure that you're alright to have it removed."

"But you'll see me naked," he said, blushing even harder.

"Take some deep breaths, Dan," I said softly. "I think we've seen each other naked enough that it shouldn't be anything to be ashamed of. Besides, I love helping you, and I know you'd do it for me if the situation were reversed, right?"

"Yeah," he admitted, once more reluctant to admit anything else for the time being.

"Come on, hon," I said, leaning over to kiss him, "Wash, eat, relax, those were doctor's orders. 

"What about work?" he asked me nervously, "I've only been there for three years. What if they get mad at me for calling out.

"You've worked there for two years and have never called out one day. In fact, you get there early. I know that they'll understand."

When we arrived home, I helped him take his jacket off once more, being careful not to jostle his cast, settled him down on the couch in front of a good movie, then brought him a sandwich and a tall glass of ice-cold milk. I knew he'd prefer soda, but Doc had warned him against drinking too much, so we were being more careful with his intake.

We finished watching the movie, I gave Dan a couple of Tylenol, and we went to bed. I wrapped him in my arms before he finally gave in to fatigue.

The last thought I could remember before I fell asleep myself, was how lucky I was to have found a man like Daniel. 


	22. Daniel and Jonah

Daniel and Jonah Chapter 22

Thanks to my friends Dungeon Master, and  
Bratty Bluefoot Booby Bird  
for their ideas and input.

If I thought that possibly losing Daniel to a car accident was bad, then these past few days were an absolute nightmare. I hadn't heard from Dan in three days. His employer had told me that my Daniel had left on time three days ago. He'd been working from early in the morning to 2 in the afternoon. At the latest he should have been home at 4, maybe 4:30, but no later than that. Calling or visiting around to his friends, the ones I didn't have phone numbers for, turned up nothing.

Now, three days later, I hadn't slept except for a few times when I was just too exhausted to stay conscious. I only slept for an hour or less each time but each time I woke I feared that I'd missed his phone call, or one from someone else... anyone who could tell me where he was. My caller ID showed nothing recently. Each day that went by with no word of him made my heart sink deeper and deeper.

Every time the phone rang I hoped it was him. Instead, it was usually fruitless reports from the police department. Sometimes it was friends or family, hoping for good news that I might not have had time to call them about. My mother and father were near as devastated as Dan's folks had been. Angie had been distraught and had probably gotten as much sleep as I was, which was, as I said, next to none. I'd been to their house for support, and to offer my support in return.

Seb was quiet. More quiet than usual, and I could see that his skin tone, so much like my Dan's, was paler than ever, and he too looked as though he hadn't slept much, if all, in the past few days. I had my cell phone on me so that I wouldn't miss a call from either him or the police.

I dreaded hearing from the police on the phone and kept praying that I would hear that they'd found him, alive and well, and were bringing him home... not that I believed that Dan would trust the police to bring him anywhere other than a hospital. 

I had called around to the local hospitals and had even checked the morgues for a John Doe. So far, thankfully, no one matching his description had been found. That didn't stop me from beating myself up, mentally, for letting him walk to work again. He had argued that it was going to be during the daytime so that the odds of being struck by a car were much fewer than they had been that night when poor Emira had come knocking at my door with his wallet.

At home, I would pace. I knew that it was a useless past time but it was one of many ways for me to focus on something else, even for a few minutes at a time. I had even 'Done a Daniel' and had cleaned every inch of the house, top to bottom, both to work out my stress and also that when he did get home he wouldn't feel the need to clean. I ignored the fact that he would get upset with me whenever I cleaned, insisting that he was perfectly capable of doing that himself once he got home from work. As a joke, I'd begun to call him Danny the House Elf.

That memory started my heart thudding and tears to once again fall, this time unchecked, onto the front of my shirt. I sat down on the sofa with my head in my hands, trying to figure out what could have happened to him. The police had a detective with me, just in case I received a call either from him or someone who might know where he was.

The third night as I was anxiously pacing once again, I heard the front door open and a panicked voice... a very familiar and welcome voice... call to me from the front door. I ran there in time to see my Daniel, looking pale and haggard, looking around, terror-stricken when he didn't immediately see me.

I ran to him and enveloped him in the hug I'd been dying to give him since that first night when I'd noticed him missing after I arrived home from work. There was no dinner made, which I knew he'd have taken care of the first thing. The dishwasher wasn't on, the lights were off, and there was no note, something that he promised he'd always do if he had to leave the house for anything other than work so that I wouldn't worry. Other than work, he'd religiously left me a note, even if he was in the backyard when I got home. I'd assured him that he didn't need to go that far, but he'd insisted, pointing out that I had done the same thing on several occasions when I'd been doing yard work.

The police officer and agent who had been waiting with me converged on us, and I could feel Dan stiffen like a board in my arms as he saw the other two men behind me.

The officer immediately got on his radio and reported that I'd arrived home. Then the questioning had begun in earnest with the agent firing them off as though they were bullets.

Angrily I turned to them and demanded that they back off until I could calm Dan down and get him settled before we did anything else. I was relieved when they only gave me disapproving looks before allowing me to lead my Daniel into the living room. I asked the two other men to join me in the kitchen as I made him something to eat and fixed a pan of hot chocolate for him, wondering vaguely if he'd have preferred tea. My mind was all over the place. I was as eager to hear what Dan had to say about where he'd been. 

I, as politely as I could under the circumstances, asked the two men to stay in the kitchen where they would be able to hear every word without scaring Daniel, who, after I delivered the food and drink, looked anxiously around for them before I assured him that he was going to be fine and that he just needed to relax and eat.

He managed to relax, now that the two men were out of sight, and he ate as though he hadn't had a meal in days. Other than a gentle reminder to slow down, especially if he hadn't eaten in all the time he'd been missing. He slowed down even though I could tell from his expression that he wasn't happy with the order.

While I waited for him to finish the food I went back into the kitchen to get another mug of hot chocolate, the first of which Dan had drunk down as though it were merely ice cold chocolate milk rather than a hot beverage.

When I saw his shaking ebb, I pulled him back into a hug, not minding the fact that he smelled a little ripe, and he hugged me back just as hard. I could feel his shoulders shaking as he cried silently into the front of my shirt, and while I didn't want to set him off again, I, and the two other men, had to hear what Dan had to say about his disappearance. 

"Do you think you can tell me about it, Dan?" I asked as gently and as quietly as I could.

"I... I can't... Jonah... I can't... was like something out of a nightmare. I... can't... I don't..."

"I understand hon, why don't you take a hot shower first. I'll bring you some fresh clothes, ok?"

Dan nodded once more against my chest and headed for the shower.

"Mr. McIntyre," the policeman said, trying to keep his voice level, "we need to know what happened to him. I need to file a report."

"Is that all you're worried about, Officer Leonards? Really? Do you do this to all of the people you find?" I asked. I could hear the tone of my voice becoming waspish, but I felt that the man was being insensitive, not only to me but especially to Dan.

"He needs time to recoup. He was gone for three days, after all, and it wasn't a vacation for him either, by the looks of him. Just be patient, and stay out of sight, please. I know he won't talk to anyone he doesn't know." Most especially the police, I thought to myself. Not if any of the stories he'd told me were true, and I had no doubt that they were. Dan wasn't a liar at all, as far as I knew.

" 'The problem with lying,' " he'd said to me, "is that you have to remember exactly what you said, so that you don't get caught... and I usually can't, so it's always been easier, to tell the truth.' "

At the time I had only nodded agreement, proud of him for even being honest about that. I'd known too many people who were nearly expert liars, who had been found out for that very reason alone.

Finally, after what seemed to be forever, Dan emerged from the bathroom, clean, in fresh clothes, and looking marginally better than he had when he'd come in.

I sat him back on the couch with a cup of tea this time. He took a few sips with shaking hands until I took the cup and, despite his complaints that he could do it, I held onto the cup until he drank a little more and seemed more settled.

"Danny... do you think you can tell me what happened now?"

He took a deep breath before looking around the room.

"Are they gone yet?" he asked.

"They're elsewhere, Hon," I replied, a little embarrassed by my own lie which I passed off as a necessary evil, otherwise he wouldn't talk.

"I was on my way back from work..." he began.

Dan's Experience; As He Told It To Me

"You know how I like to walk to and from work, and I see some familiar neighbors, even though I don't know all of their names. They say hello and I say hello back.

"The other day when I was coming home from work early like I sometimes do, there was an old guy that I see a lot and he always says hello when he sees me, so I didn't think it would hurt to say hello back," Dan choked back a sob, "Why would anyone do that to me? I never hurt anyone..."  
"Of course you don't, Dan. Some people are just... not right in the head." I explained lamely, "Do you remember where the guy lives?"

"I don't remember an address, it's a block or so down the hill, but I can show you which house it was, I think."

"Go ahead, Hon, what happened?"

"Well, I kinda knew him. I mean, we always said hello, and sometimes I'd stop and talk to him... small talk... how he was, the weather and so forth."

"So you stopped to talk to the man?" I prompted when he stopped talking. He'd begun to shiver so I wrapped him in the blanket we kept on the couch and rubbed his arms and back to warm him up, and to calm him down. I worried that he might be in shock but he seemed to come back to himself as I ministered to him.

Dan only nodded at first. After what seemed like forever, he continued.

"He... he wanted... he asked me to mow his lawn for him. He said he'd been sick lately and couldn't do it. He said he'd pay me for my time. So I figured I'd be helpful and mow his lawn for him. It didn't take that long and I put the mower back in his shed. I told him that he didn't owe me anything, but he insisted, and he offered me some lemonade, so I went inside with him."

Dan began to shake and cry again, "He was just an old guy! I knew I shouldn't have gone in but... he's our neighbor, kind of, and I just thought I was doing a good thing for him. He brought me into his kitchen and gave me the lemonade. I didn't think anything of it until I woke up in the cellar. I don't know for how long. I checked the windows, but they were all boarded up, and too small for me to get through anyway.

"There was another door, but that was padlocked, so I knew I couldn't get out that way. I was getting scared when I heard the door open and he yelled down to me... he kept calling me Richard, and he told me that there was some food for me on the top step, but he wasn't letting me out until I promised not to run away again."

"Honest, Jonah, I don't know who Richard is, and I told him so. He got mad at me then and came downstairs. I could hear the bowl and stuff clattering down the stairs and crashing on the floor of the basement. He started to hit me. He kept calling me a liar, and hitting me, yelling that I'd better stop lying to him, or things would go worse for me. Every time I told him that my name wasn't Richard, he'd get angrier. That's when he pulled off his belt. I still had my jacket on so it didn't hurt much when he got me across the back, but he'd aim at my head, legs and arms until he got tired, then he'd leave me."

"I was too afraid to eat or drink, so I dumped the stuff into the sink that was down there. I only drank water from the tap, and nothing else." "You went for three days without eating anything?" I asked, my heart aching for my poor Daniel. "I can understand why, though, Hon... you didn't do anything wrong," I assured him when he gave me a scared look. "I was lost for three days?"

I pulled him into my arms once again, hugging him close. I'm not a religious person, so to speak, but I did thank heaven for his return. I'd had no idea what he'd been through and wanted to give him as much time as he needed. I didn't think twice about the officer and agent in the kitchen, who were doubtless taking down every word. They could learn as much as me and in Dan's own time. Even if that took until next week.

Thankfully though, Dan took some deep breaths as I'd taught him whenever he was upset and continued on with his story.  
"So every now and then he'd call down to me, saying, 'Richard! You can come up now for dinner if you promise to behave.' I was desperate to look for another way out so I said, "Ok, Dad. I'm sorry."

"It almost made me sick, saying those words, but I was afraid. What if he left me down there forever? It just seemed like a good idea, and I figured if I was upstairs with him I'd have an easier time figuring out how to get away."

"You did the right thing, Dan," I assured him.

"So I went upstairs and he ordered me to clean up the kitchen when we were done. I looked around but I didn't see anywhere to run to. No way to get out," he said as tears began to fall.

"And he kept calling me Richard. He thought I was his son. He accused me of running away with my mother and the other kids. He said that we'd always gotten along just fine so there had been no reason for me to run away, and he demanded that I apologize, so I did, again."  
"I told him that I'd had no choice, that 'my mother' had taken me away against my will. That I'd been too young to resist her. So had my brothers and sister. I was kind of winging it based on what he'd said, and hoped that I said the right thing."

"So he made me clean the house. He told me that I'd better not run off again or he'd whip me. I didn't know what else to do so I promised I'd stay put. Then he said, 'Besides, every door and window is locked tight, so there's no way out for you ever again. I'm not going to lose you again now that I've found you.' "

"He hugged me and then got mad when I didn't return it, and he... he slapped me across the face, so I hugged him back. I thought I'd be sick, Jonah. It just felt so wrong... hugging a stranger like that."

"When he checked on my cleaning he said something like, well, your mother did teach you something, didn't she? Then he told me to go into the living room with him and sit on the couch. He sat right beside me, and Jonah," Dan's voice went down to a whisper, "He stank. Like cigarettes and booze, it was nasty,"

I tried not to laugh. This wasn't a laughing matter no matter how funny I found his last statement to have been. "Go on, Dan, if you can," I prompted once again.

"He took out a photo album and opened it on his lap, and then he was showing me pictures of 'myself' when I was a baby, and when I was 4 years old. He wasn't sure, but that's when he said that I and the others had run off with our mother."

"He had pictures of you?" I asked, worriedly.

"Not me, no, but some kid that looked somewhat like me... the same color hair, kinda, and almost the same eye color, but that's as far as the similarities went.I was too afraid to say that he was wrong again, so I stayed quiet and just nodded. There were no pictures of the mother, just me and the other kids, three boys, and a girl. He said that I was the youngest... and that I'd always been his favorite."

Dan paused and took another deep breath. "I told him that if I hadn't been so young that I'd have chosen to stay with him, but that 'mom' had forced all of us kids to leave with her, especially me. I asked him how he could think that I'd left willingly. That seemed to calm him down some. That's when he asked me to get his bottle of scotch and a couple of glasses, one for each of us. There was no way I was drinking anything, let alone alcohol... that stuff is rank," he added, wrinkling his nose.

"He kept nodding off. He'd jerk awake to make sure I was still there and then he'd doze off again. I pretended to drink with him. I actually let some of it touch my tongue and Jonah, I thought I was going to be sick," he shuddered, "but he didn't notice. He just kept knocking them back, until he was more than half out of it. I filled up his glass one more time, and he called me a good son," 

"The next thing I knew he was passed out... or at least I hoped so at the time, and he was. So I looked at the lock on the front door again. That's when I saw the little button under the deadlock... did I say that right? Deadlock?"

"Don't worry about that, hon, I'm sure it's called all sorts of things by all sorts of people. Go ahead, if you can, ok?"

One more deep breath and he closed his eyes, a signal that I knew that he was trying to get his thoughts in order while simultaneously trying to block out the memory.

"You can do it, Daniel, I know you can. Is that how you got away? You found that button and the door unlocked?"  
"Yes," he replied after what seemed to me to be an eternity, "I was so worried that he'd wake up and see me... catch me again and throw me down the cellar stairs again, or... or beat on me..."

He began to shake once more, so I wrapped the blanket and my arms more tightly around him, whispering in his ear that it was alright now, that he was home and safe, and that no one was going to hurt him again.

Dan nodded slightly, pulling the blanket closer around his neck as though to keep a draft of cold air out before he continued again.  
"So, I figured out how the lock worked, and I could hear my heart pounding. It was so loud. I knew that I was panicking. I was breathing hard to work that lock, and every second I was afraid that he'd wake up."

"When I got the door open, I closed it as quietly as I could, and ran, until I got here... I'm afraid that he might have woken up and followed me here. What if he did, Jonah? What if he tries to kidnap me again?"

"He won't, hon. You're safe here. The police are going to want to find this guy. Would you be willing to go with them to see if you can identify the house?"

I could feel him tense up. He hated the police because of his past. He'd never been put in jail, but he'd had several encounters with them when he was younger and had no use for them and had no use for them now, no matter how many times I told him that not all police officers are mean.

"No," he said with finality. "I'll go with you, but I'm not getting into a cop car."

"Is it alright if we drive in one car together and the police follow us? They won't be after us, they're after the guy who kidnapped you. Is that alright?"

Dan thought about it, he really looked as though he was going to say no again, but finally, he nodded.

"But I need you all to promise me something," he said in a level tone.

"What's that Boo?" I asked him gently.

"No one puts him in jail," he replied.

"Dan, he broke the law. He kidnapped..."

"I know what he did," Daniel continued, "I was there. I know that he's a little off his rocker too, and he doesn't need to be in a police station he needs to go to the hospital and get the help he needs. I won't show anyone where he lives if they're going to bring him to the police department. That's not going to help him.If you all promise that, then I'll do my best to show you where he lives."

"Daniel," I began.

"Jonah, promise," Dan replied in a pleading tone. "The police have never done anything to help me, and I don't want that old guy to be thrown in jail where no one will help him because of me. Promise, please."

I held him once again and he put his head on my shoulder, "Ask the officer in the kitchen if he can't hear us. If he agrees, I'll show him the way... in our car," he stressed the word, our. "The police can follow. I think they ought to call an ambulance if they're going to keep their promise to not arrest him."

That was my Dan. Even upset, his first thoughts were of other people.

"If you promise that you'll bring him to the hospital," Dan called out, "then I'll bring you to him. I promise."

Officer Leonards came out of the kitchen, pen, and pad in hand. "Are you sure you don't want me to arrest him, Mr. Johnson?" he asked, keeping his distance to avoid making my Daniel even more nervous.

"I don't want to press charges," he said in a definite tone.

"We can bring..." Leonards began to say.

I cut him off with a hand and asked him if we could talk in the kitchen while I got Daniel another cup of sweet tea.

I could tell that Officer Leonards was reluctant, but he followed me regardless of his own misgivings.

"Dan and I can drive in my car. You and Agent Thoms can follow us. The man is not with it, as Daniel said. He doesn't want to press charges, but he does want the man to get help. Those are his conditions, and I don't think that threatening him is the best way to get him to clam up. Besides, Dan isn't the guilty one here,"

"He's obstructing justice..." Leonards began.

"He's not. He just doesn't trust the police. He's not crazy about doctors, nurses, or hospitals either, so it says a lot that he's protecting this old guy from having to sit in a holding cell, especially if there really is something wrong with him mentally. A holding cell won't help him."  
At some point, Daniel had silently followed us into the kitchen and finally spoke up.

"The guy probably has dementia. How is sitting in the police station going to help him so that he doesn't do this again?"

Officer Leonards shook his head slightly, "Anyone else would be out for blood, Mr. Johnson," he said quietly, thoughtfully, "I promise that I'll call an ambulance and that it will meet us at the house."

Daniel looked hard at the officer, who began to look a little uncomfortable. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm just seeing if your eyelashes are curling. They're not, at least for now. Ok, I'll show you the house if I can find it. I'm pretty sure I can."  
Officer Leonards looked half confused about the eyelash comment but did as he promised and called for backup and ambulance to meet us at the Johnson-McIntyre house so that they could be there to help the old man.

Leonards leaned in toward me as we were preparing to leave the house."That's one amazing guy you have there. Not many people would be so willing to forgive, especially after all he's been through."

"Yep," I repeated, "That's my Daniel."

When we arrived at the man's house, he was once again on his front porch, amidst a very well-trimmed lawn. It made my heart clench to think that anyone would take advantage of Dan like that, and then hurt him the way he had.

The police car and the ambulance both stopped behind us, and before I could tell him to stay in the car, he ran to the policemen and put up his hands to prove that he was unarmed. Then, once again in a panic, he nearly yelled, "You promised you wouldn't arrest him. You promised to take him to the hospital!"

Officer Leonards, now used to Dan, and more understanding after his talk with me, once again promised that the man would be going to the hospital for evaluation, and not to the police station.

"Promise?" Dan pleaded again, "Promise!"

"I promise, Mr. Johnson," Leonards said quietly.

"Richard! Richard!" The elderly man said as soon as he saw Dan, "You promised that you wouldn't run away again! you lied to me!"  
I pushed a once again panicked Daniel behind me to be his shield in case the man attacked. The police advanced then, hands on the butts of their guns but not threatening in any way. They talked the man down, and he agreed to go with the ambulance after claiming that Dan had attacked him.

Relieved that the man went along quietly, Dan and I both took deep breaths.

Daniel, more receptive to the police after that, was willing to talk in more depth about his experiences, then left me to deal with his physical state. I knew that he wouldn't like the idea of going to the hospital himself, but I explained that it was necessary to get pictures and to file a report.

"But he's not going to jail, right?"

"No, hon, he's not going to jail. I promise. It was a very kind and brave thing you did for him,., you know that, don't you?"  
Dan just shrugged, seeming a little embarrassed by the compliment. He agreed to go to the hospital with the stipulation that no needles would be involved.

I couldn't help but smile. All he'd been through, and he was worried about needles. I hugged him and led him back to the car, giving him a kiss as he slipped into the passenger seat and buckled in.

"I love you, Jonah."

I startled and looked at Daniel to see him half asleep already. 

"What did you say, Dan?"

"I dunno... what'd I say?" he muttered as he dozed off.

With a smile, I drove to the hospital with my Daniel, safe and sound, in the car with me.

Luckily there were no needles involved. There were a few bruises that Dan insisted weren't bothering him. I didn't believe that those purple splotches didn't bother him but he insisted that he was fine. I think more to allay any fears I had, and to get out of the hospital sooner.  
The now sixteen-year-old Freddie had chosen to stay home. His explanation being that he had things to do, which usually meant that he had a video game in motion and didn't want to go with his parents. Angie confided to me that Freddie was looking a little sick, pale and uncomfortable, she thought that he was just afraid to see what condition his brother was in. He feigned being aloof, but despite his actions, he really did care for his older brother, and couldn't bear to see him hurt.

Bruises or not, as soon as his parents walked into the room he was in, Dan walked up to his mother and gave her one of his patented bear hugs. I could hear Seb talking quietly to his son as he hugged him gently, though I couldn't hear what he was saying, I saw Dan visibly relax.

His parents were very surprised when their son told them that he hadn't pressed charges against the man. Before they could argue, Dan just replied in the same way as he had at home, "The old man obviously had something wrong with him... the police said that maybe he had dementia. "Sending him to prison wasn't going to help him," Daniel maintained, "I thought a hospital was the best option. He needed help."

Everyone except me looked stunned. I'd had time to wrap my head around the whole situation, and understood Dan's actions even though if it had been up to me I would have pressed charges. Angie, Seb, and the doctor all admitted that they were impressed by Daniel's generosity and understanding, and his insistence that he was more concerned about the old man and his health and safety.

When the doctor suggested that Dan stay overnight he firmly declined. The doctor reluctantly made up the release papers, making sure to mark them ADO ( against doctor's orders), and we were out of there within a few hours. Dan and I were both relieved, and I brought him home with strict instructions from the doctor to go back to the ER if anything seemed off... the bruises getting worse, or other symptoms that might come up. 

"He was most likely in shock by the time he escaped," Dr. Mitchell said, "If he has any symptoms at all, any, come back to me," he said before he handed me a card with his personal number on it.

Daniel, and I, if I was honest, were glad to leave the hospital, with a couple of prescriptions for pain and the discharge papers in hand.

Once in the car, Dan began to doze off again. I was surprised that he was able to do so after all he'd been through, but the doctor had told us that this was normal, and not to worry, though he feared that Dan might have nightmares, and that I should be prepared for them.

Sleepily, my Daniel said, "Thank you, Jonah, for all you do. I love you," before he fell into a deep sleep, possibly the first good one he'd had in days. Even when we arrived home and I helped him out of the car and into the house he was still mostly asleep. I led him into the bedroom, took off his jacket and shoes, and tucked him into bed with his clothes on before sliding into it myself. I pulled him tighly into my embrace, and fell asleep, relieved that he was once again with me.

Quietly I whispered in his ear, "I love you too Dan," before I fell asleep as well.


	23. Happy Endings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel has a pleasant surprise arranged for Jonah at the end of a very long week.
> 
> This story contains consensual sex between two grown men, and references to the male genitalia at the end, just in case someone is offended by them. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story as much I.have enjoyed writing it for you. :D

Daniel and Jonah

Chapter 23

Daniel always showed how grateful he was to me, as well as how much he loved me, by keeping our home as clean as was humanly possible, something that Angie had mentioned when he still lived at home.

"I do what I can, but without Dan, I'll admit that it's not the same as when he was here," she said, half-jokingly, "trying to get Freddie to do anything more than he's willing isn't worth fighting over. With luck, as he matures, he'll be more willing."

For her sake, I hoped so. Daniel had told me about his mother's injuries and how they caused permanent pain, causing her to tire and ache with even the smallest task more quickly than she had when he was younger. He admitted to me that he had felt guilty for being that way as a child, but that his mother had frequently told him that there was nothing to feel bad about and that what had happened was in the past, and that there was no reason for him to feel guilty.

When he'd told me that, I was able to see where he'd gotten his sense of right and wrong, and his patience and understanding when it came to other people.

He had a few nightmares after his ordeal, but they became fewer as time passed, for which I was sincerely grateful. I would wake immediately when I would hear him gasping and sobbing in his sleep. I just held him as tightly as I could and assured him that he was safe with me at home, and he would calm down within minutes.

I was very protective of him after that. Too much had happened to him for me not to insist that he allow me to take better care of him. He'd resisted at first but became resigned to the fact that I wasn't letting him out of my sight for longer than I had to whenever he had to work. 

There were days or nights that I wasn't able to drop him off or pick him up myself so I arranged rides for him. He'd argued about those as well until I delivered a smart whack to his backside and told him that he was going to accept the rides. I would tell him the model, make, and color of the vehicles sent to pick him up, as well as the license plate number just in case he couldn't make out a dark blue car from a black one. Otherwise, I would drive him and pick him up whenever possible.

I wondered more than once if I was doing the right thing as Dan became quiet and a little reclusive. I thought that he was angry with me, but there was no way I was backing down. Keeping him healthy and safe was my first concern, and I decided that he could be as angry as he wanted, but that was the way things were going to be.

I'd also debated teaching him to drive a car but was worried after I'd done some research into the question. All sources said no, but that didn't stop me from teaching Dan to drive when it was just us in the car, usually in an empty parking lot. Not long after I had I'd had what I thought was a great idea, and I couldn't wait to spring the surprise on my man.

A few days later I brought him, blindfolded, into the garage. He was a little nervous about not being able to see where we were headed but I held onto his arm and gently guided him to his surprise.

Once inside the garage, I took the blindfold off. It took a few seconds for his eyesight to clear and adjust to the semi-darkness. He'd looked at me quizzically and then followed my arm as I pointed to something bright red.

Seeing the moped his eyes widened in surprise and pleasure.

"It's for me?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yep," I grinned, "I'll have to teach you how to ride it but it's easy, and as long as the weather is good you can ride that back and forth to work. It has front and rear lights, reflective bands... there's no way a driver won't see you," I continued, taking a reflective yellow-orange vest out of the hidden cubby under the seat.

"And you'll wear this day or night... whenever you're on the scooter. Understood?" I asked, sternly. I had expected an argument from Dan, but I think he was too pleased to have some level of independence once again. Instead, he readily agreed, and we began our lessons that day. 

He balked a little bit when I insisted that he wear a helmet, and hand, elbow, and knee pads.

"These are for protection in case you fall for some reason," I told him, "No arguments, or we keep on the way we've been going. If I have to go to work later and leave earlier, then that's what I'll do."

At first, Daniel's sweet, full lips had turned into a slim, straight line, a sure sign that he didn't like the idea, but he remained silent and only nodded. He put the gear on and hopped back onto the moped.

He took to it more easily than I'd expected and he'd laughed as he said, "This is just another kind of bicycle, and I know how to ride those already." 

To prove it to me, he took several rides up and down the street, and then around the block, taking the corner carefully as he turned out of and then back into our driveway. 

Content that he'd be safe I allowed him some leniency as far as my edict that he would take rides to and from work. He took right to the moped and wore the vest religiously without my even having to ask him to do it. 

That done, I felt a sense of ease that I hadn't felt ever since his run-in with the elderly man. He had told me himself that other than a quick, polite, hello to anyone he didn't know well, he came and left without stopping anywhere, calling me as we'd agreed upon immediately upon arriving home.

Initially, he'd complained about it but I wouldn't back down and offered to warm his backside but good if he didn't listen to me. It was, in my opinion, a rather harsh response on my part, but I had to make sure that he was safe at any cost. I'd found my man, my soulmate if you will, and I wasn't about to lose him.

He was only working part-time at the store now, because business had dropped off at the store, at least for the time being, so he had more days off than on, which he used to first clean our house, and then, if he had time, he'd go to his parent's house to help Angie. She'd offered to pay him, he'd said to me one night, but he'd refused it, saying that it was the least he could do for her. She didn't like that but told me that she had a plan and that she would tell me later as long as I was able to keep the secret from Daniel for the time being.

I was against secrets, personally, but I was willing to keep it for Angie's sake. I had no reason to believe that she would hurt her son for any reason.

In the meantime, I had a hard time keeping Daniel in bed and asleep. I would wake up and find him missing, wondering how he'd managed to get out of bed without me feeling or hearing him, but I always found him easily as he'd be in the room we'd set up for him to do his paintings and sewing. 

He was very self-conscious about his crafting and I would frequently find him stuffing whatever it was he'd been working on into a bag or a large storage bin.

"I'm not tired," he'd complained when I told him to go back to bed.

"You may not be tired, but I am, and I can't sleep without you in the bed next to me. Come on, Boo, let's go back."

With a sigh, Daniel would check the lid of the bin to make sure it was closed, and then accompany me back to bed, only to wake up again to make me breakfast on the days I had to work, despite the fact that I'd told him many times that he didn't need to.

"I know I don't need to," he'd replied calmly, "but I want to, so put up with it."

He would say that with a smile and a wink, so I didn't take it as him just being a hard head, he really did just want to show me how much he appreciated all I did for him. I replied numerous times that he did as much for me as I ever did for him and that there was no need to thank me, but he did it anyway, and I would smile at him and thank him for all he did for me, just for being himself.

He'd blush and then send me off with a kiss. It made me wonder some mornings if I really wanted to go to work and not stay home just to enjoy more time with Dan. I had to put my plans on hold though because there was a cold going around and my people were dropping like flies. We were very short-staffed for a while so I would frequently work from open to close to make up the loss of manpower.   
None of the healthy employees complained about the extra hours since I paid well, to begin with. And no matter how early they came in, or how late they left, they would do so with a smile for me, which made me feel only slightly less guilty about having to call them in the first place. I knew that they were as tired as I was, even though I made sure that they took at least two days off per week, and that they would have more breaks during the day to eat or have something to drink, or even to take an hour to nap on the couch in my office upstairs. I felt that I needed to show them how much I appreciated them, and wracked my brain as I tried to think of a suitable reward for all of their hard work.

When I did come home, Daniel always had a good meal ready for me. He'd take the shoes off of my aching feet and rub them, even though I told him that it wasn't necessary, even though it felt good. He even drew baths for me and he'd massage my shoulders while I laid back and relaxed into the water which he always made sure was the right temperature before he'd let me get in. I truly appreciated his efforts, and I had to admit that I felt a lot better after his ministrations, that I stopped arguing and just let him do his thing.

I knew that Dan was relaxing on his days off by working on his paintings, and sewing, which I knew relaxed him, and I was happy that he didn't feel the need to clean all day, but his continued quiet, compared to his usual enthusiastic chatter, still concerned him. I even asked him if he'd like to work at the cafe when he had a day off. He thanked me and said, "Maybe in a while, I've got some things to do, and this is the perfect time to do them."

Out of curiosity, I asked him what he was up to, and he just said, "Nothing much. I'm just doing some stuff I've been wanting to do for a while but just never had time to do them."

I didn't want him to think that I was checking up on him, and I didn't want to seem intrusive, so I let it go, for the time being, knowing that he would tell me what he was up to in his own time.

This went on for a couple of weeks. He would smile at me, welcome me home, and make me comfortable before and after dinner. He was also doing the laundry every day, whether we needed it or not, so I never had to do that either. When I admitted to him that I was feeling a bit guilty for leaving everything to him he would just grin and tell me it was no problem. "It's not like I have anything else to do during the day, and I'd rather be busy than just lie around. Please don't worry about it," he'd continued, it's my pleasure,"

He was a grown man, I said to myself, and he was absolutely capable of doing everything, as he'd shown me every day, but I still felt a little guilty that I couldn't give him as much attention as usual.

A few weeks went by and my concern for my Daniel warred with my knowledge that he was fine. He'd seemed so distracted. My worry was for nothing as it turned out, as he surprised me one night, by opening the door, dressed in... or half-dressed in a chiton, a Greek slave's kilt if you will. His chest was partly covered by a shawl of sorts in the same material as the chiton, and wrap around sandals that tied up around his legs from his ankles to his knees.

"Welcome, kýrios," he said deferentially, "Allow your obedient slave to take your footwear and make you comfortable. Your dinner awaits," he smiled, as he bowed me into the house before closing the door. He helped me to take off my jacket, hanging it up quickly, before gesturing me to precede him into the kitchen.

He had outdone himself. The table was draped in a white table cloth with gold trim around the hem. Now I knew what he'd been working so hard on, and I was looking forward to seeing what other surprises he had in store for me.

He had prepared a large roast, several different kinds of fresh vegetables, a bottle of wine, and a beautiful, shiny silver chalice set before a white place setting, which was also gilded on the edges of the plates and cup.

"Dan..." I said, still a little stunned.

"The pleasure of my kind kýrios is my pleasure," he said softly as he bowed respectfully. "Please be seated so that your faithful servant may see to your needs."

"What about you? You didn't set a place for yourself!" I chided, more than aware that Daniel frequently skipped meals, something that he continued to do even though I'd told him what the consequences would be if he continued to do so and I caught him at it.

"Your servant has already eaten, kind sir," he'd replied politely, "you take much care of your servant, and I want for nothing,"

He pulled out my chair and respectfully gestured me to be seated. I did it, a little reluctantly and I searched his face for any sign that he was making some kind of joke and that he'd pull the chair out from beneath me as I sat down. Instead, he merely pushed the chair toward the table and bowed again.

I gave him a stern look which he didn't react to. Usually, if I caught him out, he would at least look guilty. Tonight though, he didn't look the least guilty, so I had no choice but to believe him. 

Dan, I knew from past experience, wasn't the sort to lie, and he had a deep sense of good and bad, right and wrong, so I decided to let it go for the time being.

As I'd been debating inside my head, I hadn't noticed that Daniel had cut and served me several slices of the succulent smelling roast, and was in the process of placing fresh, perfectly prepared vegetables onto my plate.

"Dan," I said gratefully, "I feel a little... make that a lot guilty for eating in front of you,"

"I have eaten, master, and your servant is touched by your concern," he replied politely, "tonight is all about you, it is my pleasure to care for you as you care me."

Despite Daniel referring to himself as a servant, I was intrigued to see where the evening would go, so I went along with it, for the time being, prepared to end the role-playing if it became too intense.

Finally, I decided to go along with the scene, mostly to please my Dan.

"Very well," I replied, trying not to grin and ruin the mood, "Your master... kýrios... is pleased with his most faithful servant's efforts," I only hoped that the word meant what I thought it meant. I knew it was the right one when I saw a soft smile on those full lips that I loved so much.

Daniel bowed and then picked up a beautiful, stained glass bottle and served the wine, which smelled amazing and tasted even better with the roast. I didn't say it aloud, but I thought, jokingly, to myself that I could get used to this kind of treatment... if I were an ancient Greek nobleman.

When I had finished the meal, he tempted me with bowls of fresh fruits and carefully shelled nuts. I didn't want to ruin the mood so I took a bowlful and ate them as well... catching my Daniel smiling out of the corner of my eye. When I looked directly at him, the smile was gone but his eyes sparkled.

"That was very good, my servant. Your master is very pleased."

Daniel bowed again, and took the dirty plates into the kitchen, placing them carefully into the sink. That done he nearly ran back to me and asked me, with a very serious tone, "If my kyrios is content, your servant will prepare your bath."

"Very well, faithful servant, I will await your return."

Dan didn't smile at me, but I could see what I considered to be a bit of a happy bounce in his step.

I heard the water running and smiled. I had never actually used the big, claw-footed tub, I wasn't a big fan of baths, preferring to shower, but if he was trying to stay in character, then chances were that they hadn't been invented at that time... whenever that time was supposed to be.

While he made his arrangements in the bathroom, I did a quick lookup of the word he'd used, kyrios, and was pleased to learn that I'd been right in its meaning, and that it was a Greek word, so now at least I understood the 'game' that Daniel was playing, and I settled into that role for the time being.

When he finally came out for me, he once again bowed and gestured me into the bathroom, which smelled amazing though I couldn't identify the scent immediately. 

I took in the sight and stood for a moment, my mouth open. New, ornate drapes were at the window, there was a statue in the corner or a man, holding an urn which had real, or at least real looking, ivy pouring out of it.

I was startled out of my thoughts as Dan began to take off my clothing, gently pulling my tee-shirt off and deftly unbuckled my jeans, divesting me of them and my boxers. He then helped me into the tub which is when I realized that that was where the appealing scent came from.

He knelt and wet a washcloth which he began to bathe me with, slowly, and thoroughly. I relaxed as well as I could, but while my body seemed to go boneless, my penis was becoming more interested in what was going on and I saw my Dan, through pleasure slitted eyes, smiling as his plan seemed to be obtaining the desired results.

Afterward, when the water began to cool, he picked up a very fluffy looking bath sheet, helped me out onto a mat, before wrapping the large towel around me, and leading me into our bedroom where he lit several candles to ward off the darkness that had settled by the time I'd gotten home. 

My eyes widened as I took in the sight. Our bedroom was no longer our bedroom. It was then that I realized what he'd been working on, and why he'd been so quiet for the past couple of weeks.

The bed was covered in a pure white, and very fluffy looking comforter. There were more ivy plants growing out of urns in each corner, carefully painted, I was sure, by my Dan.

The wall that I hadn't noticed because of the semi-darkness, and by being too intent on following Daniel into the bathroom, had been redecorated. Again, by his hand I was sure, there was a painting that covered an entire wall. I didn't know what he'd painted it on, but I knew that it hadn't been on the wall before tonight. Later, I told myself, I'll worry about that later.

He'd put some sort of covering over the window as well... Greek arches 'led' the viewer out onto a beautiful garden. I thought that it might be nice to do that to our own garden, but that thought didn't distract me for long.

"Please, be seated, kyrois, and allow your servant to care for you. If you would lie down on your stomach, I am ready to see to your needs after your long day,"

Without question, I laid down on my stomach without telling him that my needs had definitely changed after that bath. I draped the towel over my backside. Dan began to massage me with some sort of oil, starting at my neck, which I hadn't realized was aching from the stress of the past week.

Before I knew it he was massaging my shoulders and biceps, relaxing the overworked muscles. He seemed to know when it was enough because he began to work his way down my back. His hands were like magic, easing the tension and soreness out of each body part before going on to the next.

I felt only a little chill as he pulled the towel off and began to massage my rear and thighs. I did tense up a little as he did this, but not in a bad way,and I was afraid that I'd lose it right then and there. I just couldn't take much more.

Finally, I turned over onto my back and tried to pull him down with me, but he did something I'd never thought possible from him... he gently took my wrists in one hand, and gently held them above my head, letting me know, without saying a word, that he wanted me to keep them there, which I gladly did.

He began to massage my arms and chest, and I saw him fight down a smile as he also realized that I was very appreciative of his efforts.

I saw then that he'd been using virgin olive oil to give me my massage, and I tried not to smile at that... I sincerely doubted that the ancient Greeks, no matter how advanced they were at the time, had access to massage oil and, what I hoped would be coming, lube.

Unexpectedly, Dan chose to avoid my penis, preferring to massage above, around, and down, which only seemed to make me, if possible, even harder for him. By then, though, I'd had enough, and once again, I pulled him down, crushing him in a massive hug. Once again, I nearly lost it as he rubbed himself up and down over my oiled body, creating a desire that even I had been unaware of until this night.

I saw that his chiton was only held on by tucking the end of the material around his waist and I took that off of him with no trouble at all. I was excited to see that he was naked beneath the piece of clothing, and by the look of it, ready for me as well.

Taking the bottle of olive oil from him, I quickly lubed myself up, and shook my head, "Now it's my turn to see to your needs," I said. I could hear how husky my own voice had become, and Dan's interest had also become more than obvious.

Taking care of both of us, I used some of the oil on him as well.

We began slowly as he stretched a little bit at a time. I knew that he always claimed to be ready whenever we had sex, but I knew from experience that he only said that to please me, and no matter how many times I reassured him that his pleasure was all I wanted, he still had that doubt at the back of his head. By the time we were finished, though, he no longer had to doubt my words.

The gentle lovemaking that we began with soon had him crying out for me to go harder, and faster. I didn't want to, because I was so near to climax myself, just from hearing his groans of pleasure and his gasps as I hit just that right spot.

I began to rub his penis as I thrust forward. His groans turned to cries, begging me for more, and more. We both came at the same time, panting from the exertion that had led the two of us to pleasure. Exertion that was well worth it, I thought, and he agreed.

We held each other close on top of the comforter he'd bought somewhere, or made, he was a skilled tailor from way back, he'd claimed, and judgingby the craftmanship he'd demonstrated in everything that went into making this night special for the both of us.

We had nearly fallen asleep when I decided to take a shower and to put on some clean shorts and a tee-shirt before I finally gave in to the happy fatigue I was feeling.

I'd been going to let Dan sleep and cover him up when I got back, but he woke up when he felt the bed move.

"Are you alright, Jonah?" he asked, concerned.

I leaned down toward him and kissed him on lips, still a little pink from the intensity of the kissing we'd done. "I'm fine, Dan, I just need to take a shower."

"Can... can I come with you?" he'd asked tentatively.

I grinned at that and replied, "With pleasure, let's go,"

The shower felt good. Being washed, and washing Daniel felt even better. We didn't even take the time to find fresh clothes before we found ourselves on the bed once again, but with me massing him this time... everywhere, which led to another bout of lovemaking, this time slow and tender, both of us enjoying the sensations within and without, touching, kissing, and both of us groaning with pleasure until neither of us could take it anymore. 

This time, the shower was all... mostly... business... as Dan knelt down in the shower and proceeded to lick and suck on my penis until it stood at attention once more. I took him by the arms and stood him up next to me.

"Be careful what you wish for, little boy," I said, teasingly.

"I'm very careful," he said, his lips turning up in a mischievous grin before he began to kiss me where neck met shoulder and once again worked his way down once more, holding my wrists up against my backside as he licked and laved my now straining member with a tongue that I had no idea was so talented. Once again, I came as Daniel began to wash me once again, and once again, the water was beginning to cool, so we decided to go back to bed. Neither one of us bothered to get dressed as we slipped under the covers.

I held him close, and he snuggled his head beneath my chin, and he fell into an exhausted sleep. Before sleep finally took me I knew exactly what to give him as a reward when we'd both recovered. With that thought on my mind, I began to fall asleep as well, until I heard Daniel murmur something.

Despite my sleepiness, I asked, "What was that, Dan?"

"Kalinýchta, kýrie," and with that, he fell back into a deep sleep. 

Making a mental note to ask him in the morning, I fell into a deep, very satisfying sleep, content with the feel of him in my arms.

End of Book One.

Greek words obtained by Google Translate.


	24. Daniel and Jonah and the Big Question

It had been over a year, and I thought it was time. I was excited. I'd already bought matching rings, and planned to 'pop the question' to Dan that evening after dinner. I wasn't expecting the reaction I received, though.

At first, he was thrilled, I could tell by his eyes more than anything else, but his expression changed almost immediately to sadness.

"What's wrong, Dan?" I asked, "I thought you'd be... happy?"

"I... I am," Daniel confessed quietly, "but... someone... said that I only liked you for your money... that I was a... a gold digger..." he turned his face to me earnestly, "I'm not," he stated, "you know... I mean... I hope you know..."

I took him by the shoulders, "Of course I know that! Who said that to you?"

He only shook his head sadly, "I don't want to cause any problems."

"Dan," I replied, just as earnestly, "I know that's not the kind of man you are, and I hate that anyone would say that to you,"

My man turned his head away, his cheeks turning pink. He only shook his head mutely for a few moments before turning back to me.

"Jonah, if you... I mean... if we get married..."

"When," I said, "When we get married. That is if you want to, I don't want you to feel as though I'm forcing you or anything."

"I don't feel like that, it's just that... after what was said... I don't ever want you to think that that's how I feel. Ever. I do love you, Jonah."

I withheld the smile that wanted to erupt. I knew that it wasn't the right time, but it was the only time that he'd ever said those words to me out loud, and it made me happy, despite the heaviness of the conversation that we were having.

"Then... would you marry me, Daniel Johnson?"

"I... I want to, but you have to make me a promise, ok?"

"Anything, Dan," I replied seriously.

"I want to have a prenup drawn up."

"A what?" I replied, aghast, "Why on earth..."

"To prove to... people... that I'm not marrying you for your money, or anything else."

"Dan, we don't have anything to prove to anyone, it's not any of their business. Who said that to you?"

"It doesn't matter who said it, only that it was said." Dan replied softly, "I don't... I mean..."

"Daniel, you mean the world to me. I love you, very much, and I want us to be together, I don't care what anyone said. Do you believe me? We don't need a prenup. I trust you."

"Please, Jonah, it would make me feel better if we did."

I sat down on the couch and pulled him beside me. At first, he resisted a little but finally gave in, and sat with his head down, and his hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. I took his hands in mine and gently pried them apart before settling down with his hands in each of mine.

"We can make up a fake one, then. I know some sites that offer free templates so that we can just print one off from the computer."

"No." he replied with determination in his tone, "It has to be real. I think we have to go to a lawyer? I'm not sure just now, but I want it in black and white. Real. Notarized, if that's what it needs. A copy for us, one for the lawyer, and one in a safety deposit box in the bank."

I began to shake my head. I was going to repeat that a prenup wasn't necessary but he cut me off, gently, but still determined.

"I want it legal, Jonah, will you agree to do this for me?" he repeated, a look of pleading in his eyes.

"Yes, Dan, if that's what you want, we'll do it, ok?" I responded. I didn't like the idea one bit. I knew and trusted Dan with my life, and my heart, which I'd never given to anyone before.

"When can we do it?"

"As soon as you like, hon. Does that mean that you'll marry me?" I asked hopefully.

Dan smiled shyly, "Yes, I'd like to marry you, Jonah McIntyre."

Unable to stop myself, I grabbed my fiancee into a bear hug. It startled him at first but then he wrapped his arms around me as well, returning the hug, and cracking a few bones in the process. He was the best hugger I knew, and I loved his hugs almost as much as I loved his kisses.

As soon as the hug ended, I took out the box that contained the two rings. I took his left hand in mine and said, "For you, a symbol of my unending love and respect, until we are finally married." I fought down the tears of happiness that were welling behind my eyes.

He took the other ring, and put it on my finger, repeating the words I'd said before leaning in for a long, lingering kiss. I loved the feel of his lips against mine. I brought my hand up to run it over his hair, which he'd recently cut very short because of the summer heat.

"I'm so happy right now, Dan. Thank you."

"For what?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"For agreeing to be my man, for good and all."

"Then thank you too." he replied with a smile, "for everything."

"You're welcome." I laughed. I couldn't wait to tell my family and friends about our upcoming wedding. "When would you like to start planning?"

"I guess sooner is better than later?"

I smiled broadly, "I couldn't agree more."

************************************

We made the trips to our parents to announce our engagement in person. It just felt impersonal, if not impolite, to tell them on the phone.

Dan's parents were elated and gave their son hugs. I was a little surprised to see his father showing his sweet side that it took me off guard. I nearly asked if 'Jim' had a twin and if they'd switched off for this occasion. His father turned and gave me a hearty handshake and a smile.

"This is wonderful news," Angie said, grinning, " I hope you two will stay for dinner?"

"Of course, we'd love to." I replied, holding Dan close to me. I could feel his heart beating, and I loved the feeling. I loved the thought of being able to wake up every morning, putting my head on his smooth chest, and hearing his heartbeat. To me, that seemed almost as intimate as making love.

When we finally sat down to an amazing roast, Angie asked if she could help with the wedding plans.

"Well," Dan replied, "We haven't picked a date yet."

"Or a theme?" Angie asked, "Did you guys even want a theme? Who do you want to invite? Did you want a big or small wedding? Do you want a reception? Do you have a hall picked out? Did..."

I cut her off, laughing good-naturedly, "Angie, we were only engaged last night. We wanted to tell you two, and my folks before we told anyone else."

"Well, I think that planning now instead of later is a good thing. If you can tell me, big or small wedding so that I can find the right hall for you. Please let me do this... and more if you need help." she said apologetically.

I had to laugh a little, she sounded so much like her son that it was funny and heartwarming at the same time. I was so happy for Daniel, that he had a family that loved him no matter what.

I looked at Daniel and asked him, "So, did you want a big or a small wedding, hon?"

Daniel looked thoughtful for a few moments before replying, "Maybe a small one?" he asked tentatively, "Just family and a few friends? I don't think I'd be really comfortable with a huge crowd of people." he continued apologetically.

"What you want is just fine, Dan," I reassured him, "a small wedding it is."

He grinned at me then and gave me one of his 'should be patented' hugs. It felt so good I didn't want him to stop, but I reminded myself that we weren't alone and disengaged gently, giving him a kiss on his cheek.

"I'd like you to help us, mom," he finally said, "if that's ok with you?"

"I agree with you, Dan," I replied with a happy smile, "I've never arranged a wedding before, and I think there's only so much I can look up online. We'd both appreciate your help, Angie."

"Ok, Seb," she said with a smile as she looked at her husband, "we've already been through this, it should be easier the second time around."

Although his smile had all but disappeared and he looked like his usual self, I could see that Seb was pleased. He congratulated both of us again in his usual tone, but the smile in his eyes gave him away.

After we'd told my folks and gotten much the same reaction as we had at Dan's parent's house, my mother also began to offer her help in any way that we needed it. I told her that Dan's mom had made the same offer and suggested that they work together. Our parents had never met before, but my mother was an outgoing person and got along with just about everyone she met. I felt in my heart that the two of them would get along beautifully.

"Did you pick a theme yet?" My mother asked, unknowingly echoing Dan's mom.

Dan and I exchanged looks and I said, "We were talking about that in the car on the way here. We haven't had the chance to tell Angie about it yet, but we were thinking about getting married on Halloween, since we both love that particular holiday, and having a Halloween theme. Nothing too extravagant," I added, knowing that my mother would have spent every cent she had to decorate whichever hall we ended up using. "It might not be this year though," I added, "Only," I stressed, "Because everything might be booked up for this year."

"Your mother knows everyone in this city," my father laughed, "If there's a hall out there, she'll find it and get a good deal on it to boot."

We all laughed at that, mostly because I and my parents both knew that it was nothing but the truth. I wasn't surprised when Daniel asked if that was really possible and thanked my mother before she'd even had the chance to do anything.

"You're welcome, Dan," she said with a smile. "Just either give your mom my number or give me hers, and we'll put our heads together.  
"But," she said more seriously, "We're going to need a guest list so that we know how many invitations to buy, how big a hall we'll need, things like that."

Daniel looked a little embarrassed when he replied, "I don't know that many people outside of my family. I only have a few people I really think of as friends."

"Then make sure to put their names down on that guest list, and we'll try to keep our invitations to a minimum. Alright?"

Dan smiled, "Alright."

"Ok then, that's settled," she said as she got up from the table to retrieve a pad and a pen before sitting down again.

"So, besides you and, Jonah, of course, our family, Dan's family... who else?"

"I'd like to invite my friends Trey and his girlfriend, and Luiz and his wife. There's also a friend of my nonnie's who lives across the street, so there'd be her, her son, and his wife... is that ok?" he asked nervously, afraid that he'd asked for too much.

My mother smiled gently, "Dan, you can invite as many or as few people as you like. How about other relatives? Aunts? Uncles? Cousins?"

Dan's smile disappeared, "I have one aunt and two uncles, and a bunch of cousins, but... I'm not close with any of them. None of our family is. Mom tried, and my one aunt was being really nice to her, but they never invite us to join them in anything. They're always going places with other friends and relatives, but we've never been asked to go with them. It bothers mom, even though she tries to shrug it off. I don't think it's a good idea to ask them... but then I'm afraid that things would get worse if I didn't invite them. I don't know," he said somewhat hopelessly.

"Why don't you put them on the list for now. You can always change your mind later if you have any more misgivings. How many cousins do you have? And did you want to invite their boy or girlfriends?"

"Eleven cousins, and I guess eleven other people to go with them. I don't know their names since we never... well... I don't know their names." he said quietly.

"Then we can always put Plus One on the invitations. And please don't worry, honey," she said soothingly, "If you're not really close with them then there's a chance that a few of them won't be able to accept the invitations, alright? It's all going to be fine," she continued, putting a comforting hand over Daniel's clenched one. "I'll call your mom and we can come up with an idea of how to get through this."

Dan nodded. He looked a little more cheerful, but I could still see the worry in his eyes, "OK," he replied softly.

"Well, honey," she said, looking over at me, "I'll get a book of invitation samples and you two can look through that and see if there's anything you like. There's a men's outlet downtown, so you two can go there to look at their suits and tuxedos to see what you'd like to wear... what else? Oh, a cake..."

"Marion," her husband interrupted with a little hint of exasperation in his voice, "Give them a minute to breathe, alright? Let's start with a hall and how many people fit into it comfortably, then we can go from there."

My mother laughed at herself, "That's me, always putting the cart before the horse."

Dad finally smiled and patted her other hand, "You'll have Angie, probably Seb, I don't know that much about him except that he's quiet," he joked, "And then there's you and I, and I'm sure the girls will want to get involved as well. There will be plenty of people to get the ball rolling here."

Daniel looked a little confused but didn't say anything. He once showed me a quote on the internet, 'It's better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.'

Knowing that Dan had a million questions and that he would only ask me because he knew that I wouldn't laugh at him, we said our goodbyes, got into my car and headed for home.

In the car he finally asked me, "What does that mean, to put the cart before the horse?"

"Basically it meant that she'd jumped the gun," I replied.

"Jumped the gun?" he asked, even more confused than he'd been before.

As expected, I didn't laugh. Daniel was a very literal person, and I had known that he was probably imagining a horse pushing a shopping cart.

"It just means that she was getting ahead of herself. Trying to think of and do things faster than she could handle all at once. My mother is very organized, but when she gets an idea in her head, she jumps right in. Understand?"

Dan still looked a little confused so I waited for his next question.

"I didn't see any balls in your house," he finally admitted, "How do we get a ball rolling when there's no ball? Is he going to rent, or buy one, and how would rolling it help?"

I had to think carefully about that one because it had never really made sense to me as I was growing up. "I think it's a few things, but I'm not sure, I never did ask dad what he meant when he said that, except I knew that once he did, he would get things started. Like, if we were going somewhere he'd put us all in the station wagon and say, "Let's get the ball rolling!"

"There's also that saying that a rolling stone gathers no moss... meaning that if you keep moving toward your goal, you'll get there none the worse for wear. Did that help at all?" I asked tentatively.

Dan nodded, "I think so, yeah, I guess, at least for now."

I sighed in relief and kept driving. I was about to turn the radio on when Dan stopped me and asked, "How does your mother jump into her head when she has an idea?"

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Things were going smoothly for us as the days went on. As promised, mom brought us a book of sample wedding invitations and a catalog from the men's outlet. She'd also found the perfect hall, even if it was a little bit bigger than we'd hoped for.

"It fits 100 people," she announced happily.

Dan's face went a little white and his jaw dropped, "One hundred people?" he asked breathlessly, "I... I mean... I hoped that...

Mom smiled and put up a reassuring hand, "Daniel, honey, it doesn't mean that you have to invite that many people, just that the hall will be big enough to cover all contingencies."

I knew that Dan had no idea what contingencies meant and promised myself that I'd tell him what it meant when she left.

"I didn't know if you wanted a band or a DJ for your wedding reception, so I have the names of the ones that my friends in the reception hall recommended," she added, placing a piece of notebook paper on the table with about a dozen names under the DJ and band headings with stars drawn next to a few of them. "The stars mean that they were recommended more often than the others," she said, indicating a couple of each that had four or more stars next to their names, along with prices for their services.

Dan looked over at the paper and his jaw dropped open again as he saw some of the prices. "That's more than I make in a week!" he exclaimed, "How are we supposed to afford..."

"Dan," I interrupted, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, "We're both going to be paying for this, right? So between us, we'll be fine."

"And my offer to help still stands," my mother pitched in, "We're family, we help each other. It's just what we do," she said with a smile, "And I know that your family feels the same way. Your mother is a doll, by the way," she grinned, "We talked on the phone for hours as though we'd been best friends all of our lives rather than two people who still haven't met each other. But we're going out for lunch tomorrow, and to do some shopping for the reception. Don't worry," she continued when she saw my expression, "We promise not to go crazy... well, not too crazy," she laughed. "We both have fantastic ideas so we're mixing and matching."

Mom stayed for another hour and a half, telling us about ministers who had been recommended as well. "I called about half of them. I got a couple of secretaries, and a few answering machines, but I'm willing to bet that we get a few calls back about the ceremony. Oh! That reminds me... where did you want to have the ceremony? I can't believe I forgot that. And you'll need a marriage license, but don't worry, you have two months to get it and as long as the service happens within that time frame you won't need to postpone your wedding or worry about anything.

Dan was becoming more pale by the second as my mother spoke about all of the arrangements that had to be made in a little less than a month. She saw his reaction as well because she smiled gently at him and assured him that Angie and she would be able to handle the whole thing, "All you two need to do is decide what you're going to wear, and where you'd like the service done. There are a couple of nondenominational churches..."

"Can't we just get married at the reception hall?" he asked. I thought that he was going to faint with all of the shallow breathing he was doing.

"Yes, you can. The scenery outside of the hall is beautiful. Rolling hills, beautiful trees, a gazebo over a little spring that you can pose in. I don't think you'll regret it."

I saw and felt his relief. So did my mother who apologized for laying so much on us at one time. "It'll all be fine, Danny," she said, using the diminutive without realizing it, but it seemed to calm him down even more, "your mom and I have everything covered. All you have to do is show up in your new suit and say 'I do.' "

Dan managed a smile then and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Mrs. MacIntyre," he said.

"You don't need to be formal with me, Dan," she smiled, "If you're not comfortable calling me mom, then you can call me, Mom M, ok?"

"Thank you, Mrs... I mean, Mom M," he giggled.

"Much better," she said as she grinned at us, "Now, I need to get going. I have some grocery shopping to do if I want me and dad to eat tonight."

"Thanks, mom, we really appreciate what you and Dan's mother are doing for us. It's really taken a load of anxiety off of our backs."

"I'd do anything for you, dear, anything for you mean, everything to me,"* she sang just before she stood up to give me a kiss on the forehead, and then to his surprise, one to Dan as well. "Call me!"  
she ordered as she closed the door behind her.

"Jonah," Dan said hesitantly.

"What's up, Dan?" I asked, worried once again that he was still anxious.

"We still need to see a lawyer."

I began to shake my head but he continued speaking, a little louder this time, "Yes," he said adamantly, "I want to do this, and you promised."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ok, Dan, if that's what you really want to do we'll do it. I'll call the family lawyer tomorrow, and we can go to the city hall and apply for that wedding license. We'll get it in more than enough time for the wedding itself."

Daniel flashed me a genuine smile then and gave me a hug.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit, but I had promised Dan that we'd have a prenup drawn up for us. The MacIntyre Family attorney gave me a perplexed look when we told him what we wanted, possibly because I was trying to wink at him from the eye furthest from Daniel so that he couldn't see. I found out later that he thought that I had something in my eye and was trying to blink it out, which actually made me laugh afterward.

When all three of the agreements were signed and notarized at his insistence all on the same day, and he saw that his wishes were being met, Daniel was once again smiling. "Thank you, Jonah," he said happily, standing slightly tiptoed in order to reach my face. He gave me a sound kiss and then drew back, still with that smile that just melted my heart.

By the time we got home, however, it was too late to cook anything more than spaghetti. I knew that Dan wasn't in the mood for that when he wrinkled his nose a little, so we decided to order in and finally agreed on Chinese food from our favorite restaurant. I decided that I'd take a shower while we waited with Dan assuring me that he knew what to do if the delivery person came before I was done.

I didn't hear the doorbell over my admittedly not so in tune singing, so I took my time. It wasn't until I heard Dan shouting at someone that I jumped out of the shower, put on my clothes while my skin was still wet, and ran out into the kitchen to see what was going on.

On the table were two teacups, one empty, the other overflowing into the little plate beneath it.

"Get out!" he yelled at someone by the door. My stomach felt as though it was taking a fast elevator ride south of where it should have been. The person at the door was my sister Adrian's best friend who was nearly as red in the face as my Dan was.

"Don't worry, Daniel," she said, slurring his name, "She warned me about you, and she was right. You are nothing but a gold digger, and Jonah is too good for you. I hope that you," she said, finally noticing my presence, "Come to realize that too, before you marry this loser!"

"Get out!" I yelled, echoing Daniel, "What you and my sister know about Dan and me wouldn't even fill a shot glass. Go running back to her and tell her that I said... nevermind, I'll call that... I'll call her myself. Now, if you would please leave. Now."

"I'm leaving," she smirked, "but just remember, it's not just your sister, who is looking out for you, but your entire family. They all think the same thing."

"Then let them come here and tell me to my face. We've both asked you to leave. Do it now." I said. Something in my face or voice, or both, had her turning pale. She turned around with a flounce of hair and slammed the door behind her.

I immediately turned to Dan, who had also gone frighteningly pale and who was slowly sitting back down into the chair with a stricken expression.

"Do they really?" he asked weakly, "Jonah," he said, turning his stunned and sad eyes to mine, "Do they all think that? Why? Is it because I'm autistic? Or that I'm only a bagger at a grocery store... I... I just don't understand," he finished, sounding as though he were going to cry. His eyes were a little red-rimmed, but he didn't let any of those well-deserved tears fall.

"No, Dan, of course not. You know that my parents are thrilled, mom especially. Is that who told you that you were a gold digger? My sister?" I asked as I sank to my knees beside him.

Dan took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he nodded his head.

"When was this?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm to avoid scaring him and causing him to clam up.

"Last Thanksgiving," he said quietly, almost too quiet for me to hear, but the words landed like a bomb in my heart. To think that he had been holding onto those hateful words for nearly a year and never told me.

"Dan," I said, feeling near tears myself, "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"I'm sorry, Jonah, I just didn't want to cause any problems. She's your sister. I didn't think you'd believe me if I told you. I mean, families stick together, and... I don't know... I just... if you didn't believe me... if she denied ever saying that... I was so afraid I'd lose you. Back then, I mean. I know now that you're all mine. I've known for a long time. I just really didn't want there to be bad blood in your family."

With that, he leaned over to put his head on my shoulder. He turned his face into the area between my shoulder and my neck and hid his face. I could feel the tears soaking into my shirt, and his body, as it shook with the emotion he'd been denying himself though he never made a sound except to take the occasional breath.

I waited until Dan was calmer before I brought him into our bedroom and put him in the center of the bed. I pulled the duvet up over him and promised that I'd be in soon, that I just had to check the garage and lock up the doors and windows before I came up. A blatant lie on my part since I fully intended to call my sister as soon as I was back downstairs. I took the handset down into the cellar and made my call.

At first, she denied everything until I mentioned that her friend Agnes had come to visit us, and who had told us the whole story, including the fact that she, Adrian, had said all of those hateful, spiteful things.

"And you told her that the whole family feels that way about Daniel? I can tell you that that's a lie right there since mom and dad are thrilled about the whole thing. So tell me, sis, who else besides you has said anything like that?"

"I- I- well..." she stammered.

"What does that mean? You what? Did you say those things to anyone else in the family? Did they agree with you? I need to know so that I can talk to them as well. So, spill!"

"Nobody, ok? Nobody! No one agreed with me, so you can just pull your fangs in! Wake up, Jonah! That little piece of... he's just after you for your money, and..."

"He is NOT after me for my money! Not that it's your business, but he insisted that we have a prenup. Yeah, that's right. It's in black and white! If anything happens to me, he doesn't get a dime. Do you feel better about this now? Are you going to go to everyone and tell them that? No. Most likely not, because then you'd be shown as the liar that you are. Have a nice night. Sis." I said before I hung up.

I knew that it was getting late but I had to call my parents. I had to know what if anything they'd heard. I needed to know that they were alright with my marrying Daniel. If they came out and said no, then I was going to marry him no matter what. And I was going to tear up that stupid prenuptial contract as well. What I did with my money, and who I gave it to was my business and no one else's.

The phone only rang twice before my mother picked up.

"Mom..." I began.

"I heard, Jonah. She was upstairs in her old room and her voice carries, as you know. No. Dad and I don't think that at all. None of your brothers or your other sister has said anything of the sort, and if Adrian has said anything to them, they haven't told me."

"I didn't think it was true," I said, relieved, "But she can be... persuasive when she wants to be. It would have killed me if anyone else had fallen for her BS."

"No one else here, hon. When her call was over she immediately called Agnes and started to yell at her. I never did like Agnes."

I laughed a little, "I remember. When they first started to hang out you said that she was going to be trouble. You were right. How do you do that, mom?"

"When you get to be as old as I am you learn to read people a little better, and before you can ask, I loved Dan from the start. He's a wonderful man. I could see it in you, that you were happier than you've ever been since you met him. I could tell that you were as in love with him as he is with you, and you both deserve it."

I had to smile at her words, "Thanks, mom. I needed that."

"I love you, Jonah, and I want you to be happy. Daniel does that for you, and I would never say no to anyone who makes you that happy."

"I love you too, mom," I replied quietly.

"Good night then, honey, you have to get up early and you don't want to be a zombie," she said, using one of my own lines against me.

"Rrrrrrr, toooo laaattte!" I said in a scary voice.

"Get to bed before I go over there and give you a whack with my hairbrush," she laughed. "Now, goodnight, sweetheart. Pleasant dreams."

"Goodnight mom," I said just before I hung up.

I did go around the house, checking the garage and the walkway before going back into the house to check the door and window locks. I turned out all but the nightlight in the bathroom and went to bed. I was trying to be quiet but either I woke him, which was unusual, or he had been awake the whole time, waiting for me.

I undressed as quickly as I could and put on a pair of shorts to sleep in before jumping into the bed with a smile.

Dan looked at me, confused.

"Well," I said, still smiling, "Our guest list is a little smaller now."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

*"I'd Do Anything," is from the Musical, Oliver! (The Film and Stage Production) inspired by Charles Dickens's 1838 novel Oliver Twist.

Directed by Carol Reed  
Produced by John Woolf  
Screenplay by Vernon Harris

Based on Oliver! by Lionel Bart

Starring Ron Moody as Fagin  
Shani Wallis as Nancy  
Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes  
Harry Secombe as Bumble  
Mark Lester as Oliver  
Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger  
Hugh Griffith as Magistrate  
Joseph O'Conor as Mr. Brownlow

Music by Lionel Bart  
John Green

Distributed by Columbia Pictures  
Release date 26 September 1968

Information by Wikipedia

All of the characters in this story are my original characters and are not based on anyone, living or dead. 

No copyright infringement is intended by the use of the song, "Anything" from the movie Oliver! If there is a problem I will gladly remove all references from this chapter.


	25. Love and handcuffs

The day of the wedding, October the thirty-first was perfect. Although the temperature was on the cold side, the sky was blue, the last remnants of the previous day's snow were all but gone, and Jonah couldn't have asked for more if he'd been able to pay for it. As per the usual, if silly, tradition, Jonah and Daniel had agreed not to see each other before the wedding, and had stayed the night at their best friend, and best man's, houses, They all had had a nice breakfast and showered, and were now at the chapel, in the middle of getting ready for the wedding.  
Jonah and Daniel had agreed that wearing white was just asking for trouble since neither of them could go a day wearing anything white that didn't end up permanently stained, so they had picked out dove-grey suits with offwhite shirts, and ties that matched their eyes... Daniel's mother's idea... which brought out the green in Jonah's hazel eyes. and another that accentuated Daniel's grey-blue ones.  
"This is so exciting," Trevor said as he straightened out Daniel's tie for what seemed to be the hundredth time.  
Dan only smiled and pulled the tie so that it wasn't so tight around his neck. He would rather have worn chinos and a collared polo shirt, his usual way of dressing ever since Jonah had pointed out Dan's schoolboy outfits, but since it was a very special occasion he had agreed to dress up.  
"It's not that different than how you dress every day. The only difference is that you're wearing a jacket and a tie this time," Trevor had reminded Dan. Daniel had conceded the point but still didn't care for the tie.

"Cut that out, Dan!" Trevor chided as he reached out to straighten out the tie once more.

Dan put up his hand and said as politely as he could muster, "I feel like I'm being strangled, Trev! Isn't there some way to make it straight without making it feel like I have a noose around my neck?"

Trevor sighed and fixed it once again, arranging it so that it still looked dressy but leaving it a little more open at the neck.

"Better?" he asked.

Dan swallowed and then moved his head, left, right, backward, and forward. "Yeah, thanks Trev. That's a lot better," he smiled.  
"Good, now leave it alone for God's sake!" Trevor replied with a grin.

With one more look into the full-length mirror and deciding that he at least looked passable, he turned to his best man and announced that he was ready to go. He put his winter coat on over his suit and waited for Trevor to do the same.

"Thank God that the weather has cleared up today," Trevor said as he looked up at the clear blue sky. "I thought it was going to rain all week."

Dan laughed a little, "At least it's not snowing like it did yesterday," he added.

"You got that right. Ok, Mr. Groom, We have to get you in position before the wedding, so let's head out, shall we?"  
"Sounds good," Dan agreed. He took another calming breath and straightened his shoulders. This was something that he'd dreamed about for as long as he could remember. He loved Jonah with all of his heart, but he was still a bit nervous.

'Don't worry,' Marcus, their pastor, and a good friend from Dan's church, who had been more than happy to be allowed to perform the wedding their officient had said during the rehearsal, with an understanding smile, 'Once you're there, looking at Jonah, you'll be fine.'

Daniel looked one last time into the mirror, checking his hair and making sure his suit coat was straight.

Trevor chuckled, "Dan, you look wonderful, honestly, now let's go! You're always early for everything else by a good hour, and now you're dragging your heels."

Dan looked at his best friend curiously, down at his feet, and then back at Trevor, confused. "I've barely moved," he said, "and I don't think I was dragging my heels. My mother hates whenever we do that."

Trevor laughed once again, "That's what it means, man. It means that you're going too slow, now get a move on, or I'll go to the wedding without you."

"You can go alone, I guess," Dan said, still looking confused, "but who would Jonah marry if I didn't go with you. I don't drive."

Very seriously, Trevor replied, "Well, I think traditionally, that if the groom or bride ran out on the wedding, the maid of honor, would marry the best man, and the same went for if the groom ran out, his best man would marry the bride. So," he said in conclusion, "If you don't go to the wedding, Jonah has to marry me."

"Uh uh. No way," Dan said, shaking his head, "Let's go."

Trevor bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing, and led his friend out, gallantly holding the car door open for Daniel and making sure he was comfortable before shutting it.

Dan continued to breathe deeply as they drove to the chapel.

"Keep that up and I think you're going to throw up before we even get there," Trevor joked.

Daniel looked panicked for a moment until Trevor assured him that he was just joking. Dan replied with an arched eyebrow so much like his mother's that Trev laughed. "Yep, you've got the eyebrow thing down," he said through his laughter, "Now you just need 'the voice'."

"If you keep laughing and looking at me, you're going to hit a car," Dan replied using his best imitation of 'the voice'.

"Ok, now that's just scary," Trevor said, pretending to shiver, but keeping his eyes on the road and the traffic around them.  
The wedding party had agreed that Dan would go in first and hide in one of the rooms off of the chapel, while Jonah did the same on the opposite side, but at different times so that there was no chance that they'd run into each other and spoil the surprise. Dan nearly laughed aloud at that particular tradition, since he and Jonah had gone together to pick out the right suits.

When they reached his room, Dan opened up his courier's bag, which he never seemed to be without, and dug out five wrapped boxes. He handed one to Trevor and the other four to his ushers. "Wedding gifts," Dan explained.

Trevor, Alex, Sean, Drew, and Freddie all laughed. "We're the ones who are supposed to be giving you gifts," Alex said.

"I read somewhere that it's a tradition for the groom to give his wedding party a small gift as a token of his appreciation," Dan explained, his cheeks turning a little pink with embarrassment. "I guess you don't have to accept them if you don't want them," he said nervously.

"Dan," Alex replied, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder, "It's perfectly all right. There's nothing that says you can't or shouldn't give a little gift to your wedding party, and we really do appreciate it. We were just saying that it's yours and Jonah's big day, and it's our turn to spoil you two. We really appreciate the gifts."

Dan looked confused, "But you haven't even opened them up yet," he said.

"We don't need to," Sean chimed in, "We know that we'll love whatever you chose for us."

"Well," Freddie said as he began to unwrap and open his box, "I can't stand the wait anymore." He opened the somewhat large box and laughed when he saw the contents. Inside was a party-sized bag of potato chips, his favorite flavor, and a hat that said, 'Best Brother,' and beneath it, the date of the wedding had been stitched in.

"Don't open that bag until after the wedding!" Dan said as he saw Freddie begin to do just that.

Freddie gave Dan a sheepish look and put the bag back into the box it had come out of. "Sorry, Dan, you know how much I love potato chips."

Alex opened his box next and was surprised to find a book called " 'Everything You Need to Ace Computer Science and Coding on Big Book By Workman Publishing and Grant Smith," he said as he read the cover. "Dan! Thanks! Did you know that I was looking for this book or what?"

"I saw it online and thought you might like it. I'm glad that it's something you wanted," Dan replied with a shy smile.

Trevor was next, and was pleased and surprised to find an antique, brushed silver tie clip. As he looked at it he saw that it had been engraved on the backside. It read, 'To my best friend, and my best man. Thank you.'

Sean grinned when he opened his box and found a new compass. He'd been complaining for a while that his old one had somehow broken, causing every direction to read as north.

"Dan, thank you!" he said quietly, "This is even better than the one I was going to buy." he stopped himself from asking how much it had cost, knowing that it would be inappropriate to ask.

Drew was last, worried, and yet excited to see what Dan had gotten for him. He unwrapped his box and opened it carefully. Inside was a beautiful brushed gold flip lighter. While Drew didn't smoke, himself, his father had given him a lighter just like this one, which he'd sadly lost. It was engraved with the picture of a dove, Drew's favorite bird.

"Dan," Drew said, "This is... this is really wonderful. Thank you... I really don't know what to say."

Daniel smiled, happy that everyone seemed to enjoy their gifts. He'd been afraid that he'd chosen the wrong things, and had put days worth of thought behind each gift.

Trevor wasted no time in putting on the tie clip, which made Daniel smile. Freddie put on his hat with a huge smile. Dan didn't argue the point because he knew that his little brother would find some way to wear it during the wedding or reception anyway.

Before anyone could say anything else, the pastor peeked his head into the room with a smile and announced that the music was going to start soon, so the ushers had to be in position before then. 

Alex, Freddie, Sean, and Drew quickly thanked Dan once again before joining Jonah's groomsmen at the door so that they could begin to show guests to their seats.

Last were Dan's and Jonah's parents who were seated in the front. Angie was wearing a dove grey dress that flowed when she walked. Her matching shoes and purse were tastefully decorated with silver-grey crystals. 

McCoy, Jonah's father, and his mother, Isabel, who everyone called 'Snow' because of her fair skin, dark hair, and naturally pink lips, were also seated in the front. Isabel and Angie smiled and waved at each other. They'd become fast friends while they'd planned out their sons' wedding.

Isabel's pale blue dress was beautiful and brought out the blue in her eyes. She also wore dove grey shoes which had a matching purse. They grinned at each other and then settled back into their seats as the entrance music began to play. The grooms were preceded by their best men and their groomsmen. Everyone stood, and cameras began flashing, while others began recording on their phones. The hired photographer and his assistant took pictures of the two men as they walked down the side aisles and finally met before Marcus, who grinned happily at the two men.

Jonah could tell, after all this time, that Daniel was nervous. His smile seemed to be plastered in place, his hands were shaking slightly, but as soon as Daniel saw him, the smile became more genuine. Even though tradition mandated that they not kiss until the end of the ceremony, they gave each other a quick peck on the cheek and had to hold back giggles as Marcus began the ceremony.

The ceremony itself only took about a half-hour. At the end, Marcus said, with a wide grin, "I now pronounce you married. You may kiss your husband!"

Jonah leaned in for a hungry kiss and didn't notice the clicking sound until he felt cold metal around his wrist. He looked down at his hand and was surprised to find that Daniel had handcuffed his left wrist, and the other cuff to himself.

He looked up, confused until Dan smiled and leaned toward his new husband. "You're mine, now," he said with an impish grin.  
Jonah looked from the cuffs to Daniel, and then down again until he broke into laughter and leaned back in for the interrupted kiss. As they turned around to greet their applauding guests, Jonah took Dan's hand with his bound one and raised their hands above their heads.

Once their families and friends realized what had happened they all broke out into laughter and began clapping again. Dan had a pleased expression on his face. He'd been worried that Jonah would become upset with his little joke, but as usual, Jonah went along with it, quite enjoying the prank, as they walked down the aisle together to the more triumphant strains of Pachelbel's Canon.

"I hope you have a key for these," Jonah whispered, still smiling.

"Key?" Dan asked, doing his best to look innocent. "What key?"

Jonah looked closely at his new husband and saw that glimmer of humor that he loved so much. "Your mother is right," he said with a wide smile, "I can see your eyelashes curling."

Dan's innocent expression changed to one of consternation for a brief moment as he reached up to feel if his eyelashes were curled any more than usual.

Once again, Jonah laughed softly before leaning down a little to kiss Dan's cheek, "Let's go, hon," he whispered, "but I really do hope that you have a key, otherwise we're not going to be able to greet our guests properly."

Once they were outside, Dan gave Jonah another kiss, and suddenly he felt the cool metal of the cuffs disappear. He looked down at Dan and grinned. "Magic cuffs?" he asked.

"Um, yeah," Dan replied, stuffing the cuffs into his jacket pocket, obviously avoiding the subject as their guests began lining up to offer their congratulations. Their parents and siblings, and groomsmen lined up beside them for pictures on the chapel stairs before getting into the hired limousines to head to the park where they posed for pictures alone, and with their families and friends, before deciding that the weather had won, and headed to the venue.

What felt like a hundred years to them, the guests began to clap as the groomsmen began to file into the banquet room, and the music began to play. The DJ rose and said into his microphone, "I introduce you now to our newlyweds, Mr. and Mr. Johnson-McIntyre!"

The people rose and began to applaud once again, standing or crouching with their cameras or phones to get the best pictures.

The photographer was pleased that everyone did as he'd asked, and left the main aisle clear as he and his assistant took stills and video of the couple.

"Please clear the floor for the newlyweds, so that they can celebrate their first day of wedded happiness with a dance."

The strains of 'I Can't Help Falling In Love With You,' by Elvis Presley began to play. Dan and Jonah held each other gently as they danced, each never taking their eyes off of the other. Jonah held back tears of happiness and leaned down to once again kiss his husband, a long, searching kiss that Daniel returned with equal passion.

The music died down but Jonah and Daniel continued to dance as though they were the only people in the room.

Dan pulled his slightly taller partner... husband... down to sing quietly into his ear, "Gia to chróno den tha párte mas gia óso diástima oi Theoí tis Agápis kai tou Vrontí échoun ti dikí mas plevrá.Méchri to thánato mas chorísoume, allá afoú i agápi eínai athánati tha eímai mazí sou gia pánta.  
Eíthe na pínoume stous néous mas símera kai sti níki mas.  
Ótan eímaste nkrízoi tha pínoume ston ploúto tis zoís mas."

Jonah smiled down at Dan and kissed him gently, "I hope you'll let me know what that means later."

Once again with the hint of impish humor in his eyes, Daniel replied, "Maybe."

Jonah laughed and hugged Daniel tightly. 'You're right,' he thought, 'you're mine, and I'm yours, and I couldn't be happier.'

When the reception was over and the couple had finished saying their goodbyes to their departing guests, they and their families began to load the wedding gifts into Trevor's van, which had been specially cleaned for this very reason. Gone were the empty food wrappers and bags, and the cups, bottles, and cans that had once held soda or coffee.

Trevor gave his friend a quick hug. "Don't worry, I've got you covered. We'll get that pirate's stash to your house faster than you can say lickety-split."

Dan and Jonah's mothers also went over to the grooms and gave them bone-cracking hugs. "If you don't mind the company for a little while, Angie and I will be happy to start helping you to write out thank you notes."

Angela laughed and hugged her son again, "I hope you'll say yes, hon because I know how difficult it is to write everything in cursive, and trying to write it all out in longhand is going to take forever.

Jonah was relieved. He was more than familiar with the scribble that passed as Dan's writing, but he'd rather take his own tongue out before he hurt his husband by saying anything.

"Thanks... moms," Jonah grinned. "We'd really appreciate your help."

"Our pleasure," Isabel replied, "I still remember what a kerfluffle it was when dad and I got married. I didn't think we'd ever be able to get to our plane on time to go on our honeymoon."

"Well, let's get home and get to it!" Jonah said cheerfully.

"If you want, I'll help too," Trevor and Alex said at the same time.

"Hey! You're making us look bad!" Jonah's best man complained with a grin. "Honestly, though, Jo, if you want more help I'm with you... we're with you."  
Jonah looked at his mother who nodded, "The more the merrier I say," she said with a smile, "As long as that's alright with you two. Considering that Trevor's van is nearly full, you'll need all the help you can get."

"Well," Jonah said, "I guess it would be better to do as many as we can now rather than waiting until after the honeymoon."  
Angie looked worried. "Are you sure it's alright for us to stay and help out for a while? I don't want to get in the way of your wedding night."

"It's alright, mom," Dan replied, "We have our whole honeymoon to look forward to, and we weren't going to leave until tomorrow morning."

"As long as it's alright," Isabel added, "I didn't even think that you two might want the night together."

"It's only five o'clock, mom," Jonah said. "If we can get this done in two hours that will leave plenty of time for Dan and me to celebrate our first day as a married couple. Don't worry about it," he finished with a fond smile for the two women. 

"Luckily you guys kept the guest list short," Angie chuckled, "If we don't get these thank you notes ready to go in two hours, I'll take what's left home with me and work on them. They'll be ready to go in no time."

"You don't think it's impolite to have other people making out our thank you notes?" Dan asked, now as worried as his mother had been just a few minutes before.

"I don't think anyone will notice the handwriting, to be honest. Besides, we'll need someone to open the gifts and cards so that we know who gave what."

"You two are going to have to open your own envelopes though, I'd feel as though I was spying."

"You're not," Jonah laughed, "but I understand. We'll take care of that later."

"I forgot to ask," Isabel said, suddenly, "Where were you guys headed for your honeymoon?"

"We decided that we'd like to go to Maine. We're planning on camping out."

"On your honeymoon?" Isabel asked, surprised.

Daniel and Jonah both laughed. "We wanted a place far away from other people, Somewhere quiet, where we could be alone and just appreciate nature... and each other," he added with one of Daniel's impish grins.

"Ok, TMI honey," Angela laughed.

"Yep, because we all know that you all stayed in a monastery on your wedding nights," Dan chimed in.

At first, Angie and Isabel were surprised by Daniel's words. Angie knew that it was just one of Daniel's less well-thought-out jokes. She looked at Isabel and winked.

Once Isabel saw the wink, she understood and managed to laugh as well.

"No more of that, Dan," Angie said, giving her son 'the look'. Let's get to work now! Battle stations!" Usually, it took Dan a little while to get a joke, but this was something he'd heard for most of his life, same as 'All hands on deck!' when his mother needed help carrying groceries into the house.

Daniel sat down with all of the gifts, first reading what cards he could, he hadn't learned cursive in the schools he'd gone to. Something that both he and his parents had been upset about, so he handed those cards to either his and Jonah's friends to read. 

Along the way, they all decided that a pizza or two would be nice while they continued writing out the cards. After three pizzas, bruschetta, cheese-stuffed crusts, and sodas, the gang started to become comfortably tired, but they pushed on.

It didn't take the full two hours to get the cards written and ready to go. The men, Angie, and Isabel sat up straight with sighs of relief as their backs, necks, and hands were beginning to cramp up.

When they finished up, Dan used a rubber stamp that Jonah had bought specially for this occasion, which introduced them as Mr. and Mr. Johnson-McIntyre and their new address. They had already arranged for a moving crew to come into Jonah's little apartment and bring all of his belongings to the house the two men had bought together. Daniel claimed that all he had were his clothes and a ton of books.

"Don't forget your easel and paints, and your canvases," Jonah reminded him. Dan just nodded his agreement. He wasn't too thrilled with some of his paintings, but Jonah seemed to love them all, so he'd agreed to bring them to the new house, which, if he knew his mother, and he did, would be set up and ready to be lived in.

That night, after their mothers and their friends had left, the two men looked at each other and smiled. "The last one to the bedroom has to eat sushi," Jonah teased as he ran full tilt into the room he'd lived in since moving out of his parent's house.  
Daniel shook his head, finally getting the joke... he still felt bad about feeding Jonah a load of sushi when he'd come over that day and was determined to cook only the best stuff on their honeymoon. They had also agreed that while they loved the idea of being alone, they would also like to wash up and go to a nice restaurant in the closest town or catch a movie to alleviate any boredom that might set in. Jonah had said that he didn't think that would happen, but who knew.

They didn't wait to pack their bags for the following day. Neither of them wanted to wait for a second longer. Jonah would never have admitted that he'd been looking forward to when the women and the other men left so that he could ravish his new husband.

**********************************  
Daniel speaks Greek by watching documentaries, listening to translations on Google Translate, listening to the words spoken on a certain game he liked to play, and reading books on the language.

Gia to chróno den tha párte mas gia óso diástima oi Theoí tis Agápis kai tou Vrontí échoun ti dikí mas plevrá.  
Méchri to thánato mas chorísoume, allá afoú i agápi eínai athánati tha eímai mazí sou gia pánta.  
Eíthe na pínoume stous néous mas símera kai sti níki mas.  
Ótan eímaste nkrízoi tha pínoume ston ploúto tis zoís mas.

For time will not take us as long as the Gods of Love and Thunder are on our side.  
Til death do us part, but since love is immortal I'll be with you forever.  
May we drink to our youth today and to our victory.  
When we are gray we'll be drinking in the richness of our lives.


	26. Bumps in the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Dungeon Master
> 
> Imagination is a wonderful thing... until it isn't.

Dan and Jonah had been married for a month, and things had been going beautifully. Dan thought that Jonah had to be the most patient, and loving man he'd ever met, and he was happy, truly happy, for the first time in his life.

He did have the habit of falling asleep to music, it seemed to be the only thing that calmed his mind enough to help him sleep since he didn't want to get into the habit of taking pills all the time. He felt that he took enough medication already and didn't need more.

One morning Dan woke up to strange, garbled noises and found that Jonah had already left for work. That wasn't unusual since his husband had to do most of the day's preparations at the restaurant, so he was normally up and out by three-thirty in the morning.

Dan tried to go back to sleep, but the strange garbled noises continued. The hair on the back of Dan's neck stood on end and cold fear came over him.

He'd never heard sounds like that before, low rumbly voices, discordant music. Dan rubbed his face hard to wake himself but the noises continued. Carefully, he got out of bed, trying to figure out where it was coming from, but it seemed to be all around him. Walking as quietly as he could he went to the bedroom doors and slipped out, closing them carefully to avoid drawing attention to himself.

He ran down the stairs into the kitchen, opened the cabinet, and picked up two containers of table salt, and a length of the clothesline. Carrying both he went back up the stairs and began to construct what would have been a wall of salt around the bedroom, in front of the bedroom doors, which the previous occupant, obviously a Star Trek fan, had built into the walls so that they slid sideways into the wall rather than in or out, like a 'normal' door. After laying down the salt, he used the rope to tie the doors together so that nothing could get out.

He went back down to the kitchen and found a few drawstring bags. He quickly made up three 'protection' bags using herbs from their kitchen cabinet, and a little bit of salt just in case. He kept two of the bags, and then, despite his discomfort, went back upstairs to hang one on the doorknob.

After that, he dressed in the downstairs bathroom and decided to walk to the book store that Jonah owned, so that he didn't have to stay inside all day, wondering and worrying about what it was that was making those hair raising sounds.  
He arrived and knocked on the still locked door. Normally the guys inside would ignore those people because everyone knew what time the store opened. If they weren't a regular, then the sign with the hours of operation was in plain view on the door, as well as a large 'Closed' sign beside it.

This time, though, Jonah looked up in annoyance only to find his husband there, looking paler than usual, so he let him in quickly and relocked the door. All he needed was for some insistent person to show up and demand to be let in as well.  
Jonah made Dan sit on one of the comfier chairs and quickly brought him a rich, hot chocolate.

"What's wrong, Dan?" Jonah asked worriedly, "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"I think our bedroom is haunted," Dan replied quietly, wrapping his cold, shaking hands around the hot cup.  
"What?" Jonah asked, not understanding, "Haunted? In what way?"

"There were these noises, Voices. Hard voices... they were evil sounding, so I left and came here. At least I know that the store is safe... I think... I've heard stories about people leaving a haunted house only to find out that the ghost had gone along with them. Do you think I might have brought the demon with me?"

"Haunted... demon..." Jonah echoed, still trying to wrap his head around what Dan was telling him. "You said you heard voices..." Jonah began to say.

"Not voices in my head," Daniel tried to joke, "These were real sounds and I swear that there are demons, or at least one really noisy one, in our bedroom. I couldn't stay there alone," he said, finishing off the hot drink.

Jonah, knowing that Daniel wouldn't have walked all that way for a prank, so he, called to his assistant. "I'm headed home for a bit... can you manage without me for a little while?"

The other man laughed, "You already got most of it done anyway, All I need to do is get the meats and cheeses out of the cooler and slice them up for the sandwiches. Go on ahead, Jo."

With a nod of appreciation, Jonah put on his heavy winter jacket and followed Daniel out of the door. "Come on, my car is just up the street a little. I'll blast the heat if you need me to, you're still shaking."

"I don't think I need the heat," Daniel answered automatically.

Jonah smiled and said, "Well, I'm going to do it anyway. Maybe you're not cold, but I am. So you're just going to have to put up with it."

Dan shrugged and gave a half nod, Heat blasting beat walking home in the cold, so he got into the passenger seat and buckled up. The day was turning out to be another beautiful one, but there were still icy patches on the asphalt roads. He was relieved when he saw Jonah buckle up as well. It wasn't that his husband made a habit of driving without his belt on, but Dan felt a lot better making sure that Jonah was safe. He always worried that someone was going to give him a ride home and then get hurt as a result.

When they arrived home, Daniel was hesitant to go back into the house, and he knew he wouldn't have if Jonah hadn't been with him. 

"So where is the ghost, or demon?" Jonah asked seriously.

"Upstairs in our bedroom," Dan replied, glad that Jonah wasn't laughing at him like so many others would have.

They walked slowly up the stairs, both listening for the noises that Dan had said he'd heard. When they got to the bedroom door Jonah's eyebrows shot up at the sight of the thick line of salt, and one of their little canvas drawstring bags adorned with feathers hanging on their door, and the door handles tied together.

"Ok, Dan... what's with the salt? And what's this?" He asked when he saw the bag with feathers hanging on the doorknobs.  
"It's a warding bag. It's to protect us from evil spirits." Dan explained. "I have one for each of us," he said, taking one out of his jacket pocket and handing it to Jonah who looked at it blankly before taking it from his husband.

"Are you angry?" Daniel asked worriedly.

"No, hon, just curious. And why is one of our fireplace pokers against the wall?"

"Salt keeps them in, and they don't like iron."

"Well," Jonah said, "I guess it's now or never. Do you want to go in with me?"  
  
"Yeah, I'd rather stay with you, if that's ok."

"Alright then, let's see what this thing is," Jonah said as he began to open the doors as quietly as possible. As soon as he entered the room, he heard the demonic sounding voices, and his shoulders stiffened up. He knew that he had to be calm for Daniel's sake.

As he began to enter the room, Daniel whispered, "Don't break the salt line!" before picking up the iron poker.  
Jonah dutifully stepped over the salt and made his way into the room with Dan close behind him. 

The noises continued, and Jonah, taking lead, walked around the room, listening carefully so that he could track the sounds more easily while Dan tensed, ready to take any ghosts or demons out with the poker if he saw Jonah in any sort of danger.  
The slightly older man followed the noise and was more than a little freaked out that the voices were indeed real. He continued on his way, Dan shadowing him when he stopped... and then laughed in relief as he picked up Daniel's old tape player.  
"This is all it is, Hon," Jonah said with a gentle smile, so that Daniel would know that he wasn't making fun of him. "Your batteries are nearly dead, that's all."

Dan relaxed visibly, and then blushed, "You must think I'm some sort of a kook for doing all of that," he said, gesturing toward the salt on the floor, and the protection bag.

"I'm not angry, Dan, really, I was worried too when I first heard those noises."

"You were scared?" Dan asked incredulously.

"A little," Jonah grinned, holding his fingers about a half-inch apart.

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief until Jonah picked up the tape player to turn it off.

"Dan, I'm sorry to tell you that your tape didn't make it. Looks like the machine chewed it up pretty badly. He saw Dan's face crumple into the saddest expression that Jonah had ever seen on his man, and said quickly, "I'll be more than happy to get you this music on CD. I really don't know anyone who uses audio tape anymore."

"Ok," Dan said, coming down from his adrenaline rush. "We're good then?" he asked tentatively.

"Yeah, we're good... except that I really want to know where you got the idea for these bags and the salt."

Dan grinned in an embarrassed manner, "Mom and I used to watch this really cool show about two brothers who would go around killing monsters and ghosts, and they used salt and iron to at least keep the things away from whoever it was they wanted to protect... and there was a witch who was always making hex bags, so I just kind of... improvised what I put in the bags since no one ever said what was in them originally."

"Well, hon, it's alright now. No ghosts, no demons, and I'm buying you a CD player and a new disc after I get out of work today. Do you feel safer here at home now?"

"Yeah," Dan replied sheepishly, "Thanks for coming home to help me. I think anyone else would have laughed."

"I'll never laugh at you, Dan, I promise."

Dan leaned in to hug Jonah and was surprised when his husband gave him a little, but stinging slap to his backside.

"What was that for?" he demanded.

"That's for the salt mess. I want you to clean up every grain, got it?"

Dan's ears went a little red but he smiled at Jonah and gave him another hug. "I can do that," he agreed.

"That's my Dan," Jonah said proudly as he hugged and kissed said Dan before asking, "Alright then, D, I'll head back to work, and I'll see you tonight."

"I'm looking forward to it," Dan said with a glint in his eyes.

"You're insatiable," Jonah laughed.

Dan, not really knowing what that word meant only nodded, promising to himself that he'd look it up as soon as Jonah left for work.

Once Jonah had gone, Dan sat on the couch and turned on the television to watch the oldies channel, and promptly fell asleep, his fears now at ease. 


	27. Cat Scratch Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat runs amok, and Daniel meets a spatula all on Christmas Day

Cat Scratch Fever

Daniel and Jonah were both asleep when Dan's phone rang. 

Groggily, he picked up the phone, looked at the caller ID, and saw that it was his mother.

"Mom?" he asked sleepily, "Is anything wrong? Is everyone there ok?" he asked, immediately awake.  
He knew that his dad had recently had heart surgery and that his mother was using a rollator to get around. Freddy was mostly in bed since he had school the next morning... or rather... later this morning.

"I'll be right there", promised, as he put on a pair of jeans, something that Jonah had finally convinced him to wear on his off days, and an equally un-business like tee shirt and sweater, for now, not worrying for once whether it was inside out.

Dan hopped on his moped, being careful to put his helmet and safety gear on... he didn't want to have Jonah drive him to work and back as he had for the previous month, after making Daniel sit down and write, 'I will always wear my helmet and safety gear when I ride out on my moped.' One hundred times. He assured Jonah that he was going to wear his helmet while on his moped.

He did his best to drive at a reasonable speed and finally reached his mother's house. He took off his helmet and haphazardly threw it at his cycle. Normally he could toss it and it would land on the back of the thing. He missed miserably but he didn't care. All that mattered was that his family was alright.

He parked in the driveway. He then ran into the house and looked around and then at his mother. Everything seemed fine.

"Mom! What's wrong? Is dad alright?" he asked breathlessly.

"Hmmm?" His mother asked in a distracted tone.

"Mom!" Daniel said, heart still pounding with fear and anxiety, "Is everyone alright? What's going on?"

"Oh, Danny, it was just for a few seconds, but I opened the door and Kit ran out behind my legs," she said in a panicked tone. "I need you to help me find her, Please?"

It took Daniel a few seconds to let her words sink in.

"Mom? You called me at three o'clock in the morning to help you find the cat? Really?"

The police and fire departments were the first on the scene. It only took a few minutes more for an ambulance to arrive. They assessed the information, then tried to help the woman out of her car. That had caused so much pain that the EMTs brought a gurney as the firemen tried to open the door and pull the seat back as much as possible without making the lady's injuries worse, then moved aside to allow the medical team better access. She'd had two broken ribs and had suffered more injury to her already bad knee. Now, despite the doctor's orders, she was already up and doing what she could, even though her husband and Freddie had both insisted that she rest and recover.

Back in the present, Dan asked tiredly, "Where are the cat treats, mom?"

"I tried that, Danny, she's a sly one that little fox, She ran toward me and then under the rose bush. Next thing I know I saw her run towards the garden. I haven't seen her for about a half-hour. You know that her mother was feral, I saved her when she was six weeks. She's only 7 months, but she still wants to be an outdoor cat. She just doesn't understand everything that could happen to her, and I don't want her to find out the hard way."

"Please, hon?"

Dan took a deep breath, got the bag of cat treats from his mother, and shook it, all the while whispering, "Kit!" He saw her in the garden, happily looking at everything until she heard the treat bag and came running toward the sound. Dan held the treats in one hand and petted her with his other. Once the treats were gone, Kit tried to run away again. Daniel was faster than the cat and managed to capture her.

The cat wasn't too happy with being caught and made it well known, between trying to bite Dan's hands, meowing louder than he'd ever heard, and he'd thought that he'd heard it all, then she started to bat his hands away with front and back claws, and teeth. They weren't big enough to leave deep scratches but his gloves didn't stop them from poking through. Now he understood why Jonah had insisted on him wearing safety gear which he had forgotten to take off in his rush to get into the house.

He was still carrying the cat, which tried at every step to jump from his arms. Knowing that Kit would escape in just a few steps more, he was sure that he would lose his grip on the squirming beast.

His mother came out to help just at the right moment. She had put aside the rollator and switched it for her cane. Daniel almost lost his grip on Kit. Cane or no cane Angie deftly scooped the cat into her good arm and tossed it onto the couch, and the most comfortable blanket in the house, where she'd asleep until she gave in to the craving for a cigarette.

She knew that it was a smelly habit which both of her boys and her husband tried, to no avail, to make her stop. She knew all of that, but the nicotine had a firm grip on her, and she rather liked that she didn't smoke in the house. It gave her a chance to look around, as far as she could see, admiring stars, wind in her hair, the sound of the trees waving and dropping the last of the brown leaves that still refused to fall with their brothers and sisters, even though it was more than halfway to Christmas.  
Angie offered Dan a hot cup of cocoa which he drained before thanking and kissing his mother goodbye.

When he arrived home, Jonah was awake and dressed, getting ready to go out to find Daniel, afraid that he'd been kidnapped again and was ready to call the police when Dan walked in the front door, trying to be especially quiet so as not to wake Jonah.

<

When Dan finally arrived home, Jonah was awake and dressed, getting ready to go out to find Daniel, afraid that he'd been kidnapped again, somehow. The older man hugged his husband as though he hadn't seen him for a couple of days instead of just a couple of hours. "Where were you?" Jonah demanded, now a little more than upset but not angry... yet. Daniel explained the situation to Jonah who merely sat at the kitchen table, mouth slightly agape as he took in the story. "Are you serious?" Jonah asked, having just a little bit of trouble processing the information. "Unfortunately, yes." "Well, you get on to bed, try to replace some of that energy you'll need for later today, alright? I'll be at work if you need me. Call me ANY time, alright?" "I promise Jonah," Dan replied with a tired smile. ******************************** Freddie, was asked, over breakfast, what he'd like for Christmas. 

As expected, Freddie had asked for electronics. Mostly games for the PS five. When he was reminded that he only had a four, he grinned and winked one eye. "Can't we stretch our one gift agreement to two?" he'd asked, looking at his family with his combination puppy dog look, big brown eyes, and irresistible dimples.

"We'll see," Angie grinned... "Brat."

"And your point is?" he laughed. It was a little game between the two of them.

"You're a turkey," she responded.

"And?" Freddie replied.

"And you better stay on my good side before you end up as our Christmas dinner," she teased.

Freddie gave her a look but settled for sticking his tongue out. He was a smart alec, and everyone knew it, but he knew when to tone it down a bit.

Angie always went overboard when cooking for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Her mother had done much the same thing, and it was ingrained in her Italian blood that everyone had to go home with not only full bellies but also as many leftovers as they could carry.

Besides, if her mother had done it, then so should she, even though the older they all got the less they enjoyed the now overly commercialized holiday where everyone was supposed to be jolly, merry, and give their family members, especially their children, almost everything they asked for. 

Angie smiled to herself. She had already ordered a Play Station five, and one game for Freddie, putting it on Layaway months ago. She had made an exception for her immediate family, and everyone would get at least two presents.

She knew that Dan and Freddie needed new snow boots. Her oldest son had promised to buy a pair after work, but knowing Dan, he would probably use all of his money on everyone else and there would be nothing left over for the things he needed. She just needed to wait until tomorrow to see if he'd bought himself some boots, or at least new sneakers, or both, for himself. She didn't care how much he spent, as long as he had whatever he needed. Money was just a little tight at the moment, but she decided that since it was so close to Christmas, one of his presents would be a new pair of boots for each of her boys as well as her nephews and niece. She had promised to buy some for the holiday, giving, her daughter Marie and her husband, Rick, a little bit of a reprieve. 

Freddie didn't care if he went out in just sneakers, but she was, and she wasn't sure if she should put that idea aside for the moment. The boys needed them, but she wasn't sure if she could put that on hold for another week.

Seb was one of those, 'It's just another day.' people so he wouldn't care if he got anything or not... he certainly didn't believe gift-giving was necessary at all. Sometimes it bothered her a little, but she was beginning to think the same way. She would continue to give at least one gift per person, including, of course, her new son-in-law, whom she was quite fond of.

On Thursday, December 17th, Angie called Daniel, asking if Jonah was nearby.

"No, he's at work. I have the day off. Is something wrong?"

Angie laughed and assured her son that he didn't have to go Kit hunting again. "I just needed to know what kind of thing Jonah would want for Christmas?"

Daniel drew in a breath. "I don't know, mom. I'm trying to figure that out myself. He certainly doesn't need any books," he joked.

"Neither do you, book hoarder," she laughed.

Dan grinned even though he knew that she couldn't see it.

"Are you and Jonah coming over for Christmas dinner?"

" Sure," Dan replied, "but we need to leave around three, ok? We promised that we'd spend some time with Jonah's parents."

Angie laughed loudly, "Brat," she said jokingly.

"And your point is?" he answered.

"Oh, Lord, not another one," she sighed.

"Huh?" He asked intelligently.

"Never mind, honey. So, what time can you come over?"

"Is twelve in the afternoon too early?"

"That's fine, hon," Angie replied, "The appetizers will be ready by then."

"Ummm, did you buy any nuts this year?" he asked.

"I love how you beat around the bush," Angie said with a laugh. "Yes, there are mixed nuts, and even though dad says that I spend way too much, I bought two bags, just to be on the safe side."

Daniel pumped his fist into the air but managed to offer a thank you in a more normal tone.

Just after he hung up, he began to make a list of what he'd need to make his famous rum balls, his offering of a large shrimp cocktail platter, and rainbow jello.

Jonah laughed a little as he saw Dan making out a list for yet another recipe. His husband made the same things every holiday, sometimes for the families, and sometimes for himself and Jonah... with real rum in them.> 

"Nah, I put rum flavoring in them, this way Freddie and the other kids can eat them too without my turning them into lushes," Daniel replied, distracted as he wrote down all of the ingredients. 

Jonah smiled at Daniel's back, and gently gave his husband a hug and a kiss on the back of his neck.

"What's that for?" Dan asked curiously.

"I love you, Dan. I know how you feel about that word, and that your love for me is evident by how you take care of me, and the house, and everyone around who needs help. You're a great guy," Jonah said, planting another kiss on Daniel's jaw.

Dan turned around forgetting the list for the time being and hugged his husband back. "I do love you," he said quietly just as Jonah bent down slightly to give him another kiss. Jonah, taken aback by the word he thought that he'd never hear from Dan's lips making him hesitate slightly.

Either not seeing, or misunderstanding Jonah's hesitation, Dan smiled, pulled Jonah's head down, kissing him fervently. "I do love you," he whispered once again as he placed another more tender kiss on Jonah's lips.

Recipies put aside for the moment, Daniel gave Jonah a kiss like one he'd never experienced before from anyone. It felt as though fireworks were going off in his head. He decided not to worry about it for the time being and returned the kiss with equal passion. 

Just about three hours later, the two men, showered and dressed in clean clothes, wide smiles on their faces, returned to the kitchen. Jonah was panting just a bit but it was a good sign to Daniel who wrapped his arms around his husband and kissed him again.

Jonah laughed and hugged Daniel back. "No," he said, gently chiding, "If we start that again, we won't get anything done."

Daniel smiled and got on toes to give Jonah one more, intense kiss, before replying, "Ok." and turned back to his recipes.

Jonah laughed again, giving Daniel a light smack on his bottom before turning away to wrap the presents that they'd bought for his and Daniel's parents, as well as making sure that they had something fun for Freddie, and his niece and nephews. He was glad that his family wasn't Christmas people for the most part. His parents only put up a tree with presents for the kid's sake.

Before they even realized it, it was Christmas Eve. The two men relaxed. Everything that had needed to be done was taken care of. Presents were wrapped and put in bags for their parents, homemade cookies and rainbow jello ready to roll, one for Dan's parents, and one for Jonah's were bundled in lengths of festive cellophane wrapping. Everything was in the refrigerator waiting for the two of them to make their rounds.

Eshausted from the efforts of the day, they fell asleep on the couch, Jonah mostly on the couch with one leg dangling over the edge of the cushions, Daniel's head lay comfortably on his husband's chest, only partially aware of the soothing and comforting sound of Jonah's heart as he had finally given up to sleep.

As promised, Daniel and Jonah arrived at Dan's parent's house at 12 on the dot, Daniel carefully holding the tray of homemade cookies, while Jonah carried one of the jello molds and the shrimp platter 

His mother greeted them at the door, 

"There are my babies," she said happily as Jonah hugged her back gently.

Dan, blushing just a little bit, asked, "So when is everyone supposed to be here?"

"Just about..." the doorbell rang and a group of people entered, "now," she continued with a grin so much like Daniel's that Jonah smiled and replied, "In the kitchen!" he called. Where else would they find Dan's mother on a holiday, he thought with a laugh.

"And what is so funny, Mr. McIntyre?" Angie asked with a stern tone, even though her eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Just how much I love you and your family," Jonah replied, hugging Angie once more, still careful of her ribs. Angie smiled and hugging him back, replied, "We love you too, Jonah," she managed just before the first group of visitors walked into the kitchen, her daughter with a tiny bit of a sour expression when saw her mother walking around without any of her safety devices. Her husband and kids followed closely behind. Having been told not to hug their nonnie too hard, the kids settled for careful, but heartfelt hugs.

Hearing his sister and her family had arrived, Freddie ran down from his bedroom and gave all of them bear hugs, greeting them happily. He knew that his sister, brother-in-law, and their kids had driven a long way to get to them. Probably even had driven all day and night to make it home for Christmas, which was verified by the circles under his brother-in-law's eyes.

"How was it getting here?" Angie asked as she turned back to stirring her homemade sauce before adding a bit to the stuffed shells she was making, then adding a dollop of her special ricotta cheese in. She placed it carefully into the pan to join the several others that she had been making before their arrival. Marie could see that her mother was favoring her left side and that she was leaning against the stove, something she never did normally and offered to finish the few that were left.

"Sit down, ma," Marie had said firmly, "That's an order."

"Yep," Jonah added, "just tell us what needs to be done and we'll get right to work."

"I'm not an invalid, you know," Angie replied in a perturbed tone.

"We know that ma," Marie replied with a smile, "But by the looks of things, you've been getting everything done since last night. At least let us help," she said.

"Of course," Seth, Marie's husband said, "We'll only do a little... what needs to be done?"

Angie grinned as she answered, "Well, everything is pretty much done, except for setting out the shrimp that Jonah put into the fridge when he thought I wasn't looking."

Jonah had the good grace to blush and smile guiltily as he turned toward the fridge to get the appetizer out. He unwrapped the rather full plate and put it on the table with the mini quiesh, and other delicacies that Angie only made during the holidays. Sometimes she'd make them offseason by popular demand.

"Mom," Freddie called, "Can we open our gifts now?" he asked.

Angie got up and went into the living room where her youngest and twin cousins sat around the base of the tree, finding and then gently shaking the boxes in an attempt to figure out what they'd been given.

She looked at Marie, who gave an indecisive shrug.

Figuring that the children wouldn't be able to sit quietly during dinner, and knowing that her son and his husband would have to leave around three, nodded her head, and said, "Only if you sit down and eat dinner afterward without fidgeting, eating everything on your plates, rather than a bite or two and then running to play with the gifts," she said in a no-nonsense tone.

"Promise," she demanded.

"I promise, mom," Freddie said eagerly.

"Promise, nonnie!" the other kids said with happy smiles.

Rick and Freddie had sort of known what the gifts for them were and eagerly opened their packages. Angie nearly laughed, as she saw the disappointment as they found that the boxes contained winter boots and thick socks. Neither of them said anything other than to thank her, quietly.

Unable to continue teasing them, she told them to go into the den where they'd find other, special, presents.

When they took the paper off they found two plain boxes. Prepared to be disappointed again, the boys opened the boxes and both hollered in delight as they each had gotten a PS five, and a game each. Unaware that they were being filmed, they immediately ran to the television to connect Freddie's PS five when Angie reminded them that they had promised to eat first.

They looked disappointed but remembered that they had each made a promise. "Ok," the boys said sadly as they got up to help with preparations... and to steal some cookies when possible.

Maggie, Marie's and Seth's youngest, was unaware that she too was being filmed as she opened her presents. She was only four and so she unwrapped a Nintendo Switch and a game. Angie knew that her youngest grandchild would need help with it, but not for long. Little Maggie was very smart, even at the age of four, and she wouldn't need much instruction on how to use it.  
They had also bought her thick socks in pastel colors, and a baby doll that had a soft fluff-filled body, pretty dark blonde hair, and an adorable face. She was entranced by the little mouth, and the eyes that opened and closed, and it gave a somewhat realistic, 'Mama,' when Maggie picked the doll up or laid it down. 

She wouldn't play with a doll that pretty, knowing that it was somehow special, she carefully put the doll back into the packaging leaving the lid open so that the doll could see the other toy she'd gotten.

To her, the doll seemed to smile happily from her comfortable box.

Her father quickly put down the smartphone he'd been using, determined to splice both recordings into one, to date it and keep it for when the kids were older.

"Come on, sweetheart," he said with a gentle smile, "time to eat."

The little one reluctantly put her toys aside and took her father's hand as they both went into the dining room where the adults were crowded around the table. The other table in the kitchen was set for all of the younger members of the family. Each sat down, the boys, excited about their game systems, quickly ate, and then asked for permission to go and play. They all picked up their plates and carefully showed that they'd each had a little bit of everything.

This time, Marie smiled, told the boys to rinse, and put their dishes and cups into the dishwasher before they could go. 

The boys quickly but carefully did as they were told since they knew that the dishes had been nonnie's mother's and that it was only brought out for special occasions.

Before they knew it, three o'clock came around, and Daniel and Jonah said their goodbyes to his parents, sister, and brother-in-law, with Jonah giving everyone hugs before they left.

"But you didn't have any dessert," Angie had protested.

Daniel smiled and assured his mother that he had sampled everything before coming to dinner, so he was full.

"Goodbye everyone!" Jonah called, stopping to give the children an extra hug to Daniel's and his parents, giving his sister and husband an especially enthusiastic hug. He had no idea how long it would be until he saw them again, so he had to make them last.

"Goodbye, sweetheart," Angie had said, giving them slightly harder hugs, "Call me later, alright?"

Daniel laughed, "Yes, mom, we'll call you when we get home."

She'd sighed and said, "Well then, you have to take some of the leftovers home. They'll keep with the cold weather."

Knowing that Angie would insist, Daniel and Jonah gratefully accepted several plastic dishes filled with food, and three pies each. She knew that her son loved pecan, pumpkin, and apple pies, she had made twelve, just to be on the safe side. For once Seb was quiet about his wife's penchant for making or buying things more than what was necessary. He loved pumpkin and sweet potato pies, and didn't care that there would be for him... them, he corrected himself, though he knew that he would be eating the lion's share... with whipped cream. His mouth watered at the thought. Not to forget the warm Dutch apple pie with a side of ice cream. He was almost tempted to show his wife his clean plate so that he could be the first to grab a piece, but he knew the rules... most of which he'd made... to wait until everyone had eaten before breaking out the desserts.

He sighed and sat quietly, picking at another piece of turkey until everyone had finished. As soon as they'd finished, he gathered all of the dishes, making sure to scrape leftovers into the trash to avoid blockage, and brought out the dessert plates and clean forks then returned with pies, cookies, and the jello that was a specialty of Daniel's.

"Seb," Angie said tiredly, "really?"

With a wicked grin he replied, "There's always room for pie."

"Fine," she said, already resigned to the fact that her husband, and now the grandchildren, had perked up at the mention of dessert.

************************************************** 

On their way to Jonah's house, both he and Dan had to loosen their belts a little.

"So much for eating light," Daniel joked.

Jonah chuckled and said, "I think that according to your mother we hadn't had enough."

"True enough," Dan replied with a grin. "I think we'll have enough food now to last us a week."

"More than a week," Jonah laughed, "Don't forget that my folks will be sending us home with even more. Think we can get away with having dessert first?"

Dan just gave his husband a look that clearly said, 'Really?'

Jonah took the hint and laughed making sure to keep his eyes on the still somewhat slippery roads leftover from the snowstorm they'd had just a few days ago.

Dan sat back with the cookie tray on his lap. He budged the cellophane wrap a little and stole one of the rum balls.

"Eh!" Jonah said, "No stealing snacks Mr. We can't have snacks yet."

"But I'm full of food," Daniel complained, "It's time for dessert," he argued, impishly.

"Well, make room for more food, THEN you can have all the cookies you can stuff in your face, agreed?"

Daniel managed a dejected expression but managed to say, "Yeah," before both of the men burst into laughter.

"Don't worry, Jonah," Dan said with a smile, "I'll eat what I can, and then we can stay for dessert. Do you think we should have brought more than the jello and the cookies?" he asked thoughtfully.

"I think that you made enough to feed a small platoon," Jonah joked, slowing down a little as he took a corner. He hated it when the car fishtailed, but he especially hated it when Dan was in the car because his husband was always worried that Jonah would get hurt, especially after his mother's accident and injuries. Seeing his husband's wooden expression and the way he clutched the dashboard he smiled and took one of Dan's cold hands into his for a moment.

"Don't worry, Dan," Jonah said in a reassuring tone, "I'm a good driver."

"I know you're a good driver," Dan replied, "It's the other guys I don't trust."

Jonah laughed and squeezed Daniel's knee. "I'll be careful enough for all of us, ok?"

Dan took a deep breath and nodded before closing his eyes. He figured that if he couldn't see what was going on, he couldn't be scared.

Jonah gave his husband's knee one more squeeze. Dan grabbed his hand and held it tightly for a moment before letting go. Placing his entire trust in Jonah's ability, continued to keep his eyes closed. The last thing Jonah needed was a hysterical passenger in his car.

It wasn't a long trip, normally, between Dan's and Jonah's parent's houses, but it took a while to get there due to the state of the roads, but finally they arrived. Jonah's mother immediately opened the front door and gave out a loud shout, "Jon! Danny! It's about time you got here! Come on in where it's warm!"

"We just have a few things to bring in, mom," Jonah called with a grin. He knew that whatever they'd brought would be lost in all of the dishes that he knew his mother had prepared.

Dan grabbed the overloaded cookie tray while Jonah took the jello mold from the floor of the back seat.

Mrs. McIntyre ran outside in just her tee-shirt, jeans, and slippers to help carry some of the things inside of the house. Dan could see Jonah shaking his head a bit but he was doing it with an affectionate smile as he carried in the jello. He could smell the food before he even walked into the house, and his mouth watered. Dinner at the Johnson's all but forgotten as he followed the scents into the dining room. He pulled out a clean dish, placed a bit of everything on his plate, and began to eat as though he hadn't seen food in years.

"Sit and have a bite, Dan," she invited with a smile.

"Thank you, Mrs. McIntyre, Daniel replied respectfully.

"You are my son-in-law," she said in a strict tone, "You will call me mom from now on, got it?" She softened the remark with a wide smile.

Dan had been thrown for a moment and then smiled back at his new 'mom'. It made him feel a little strange, and just a tad guilty, as though calling this woman 'mom' would in some way diminish his own mother's relationship to him.

"Don't worry, Dan," Jonah said after swallowing his current mouthful, "everyone calls her mom... even some of the neighborhood kids."

Dan nodded in understanding. With a wide smile, he replied, "Thank you... mom."

Before he knew what happened, Mom M, as he began to think of her, gave him a hug that felt so good... now he knew where Jonah got his hugging skills from.

He finally sat down beside Jonah at the large table, which was still covered with just about any food that Daniel could imagine. Taking a plate, he also served himself a bit of everything, leaving room for desserts.

He stopped as he heard someone entering the house. He was dressed in a lab coat and had a stethoscope around his neck.

"Oh," Mom M said quietly as she ran to help her husband get off his jacket, "I wish you didn't have to work on the holidays, McCoy."

Still holding his wife he quietly responded, "I know hon, but it's my turn, and sick people don't stop being sick for the holidays," he smiled tiredly.

"Well, let's go into the dining room, hon. I think Dan and Jonah have left some food for you," she teased.

"Your name is McCoy?" Daniel asked with delight.

Under his breath and behind his hand, Jonah hissed, "Don't say it."

"Yes," the doctor replied, tensing a bit at what he knew were bound some dumb remarks. He couldn't help but wonder how much his parents had hated him to give him that name. But, he admitted to himself, that it was his own fault for choosing medicine over law. He sighed and waited for the comments to come.

"You're Doctor McCoy?"

"Yes," McCoy said, tiredly. Mom M was covering her face with her hand.

"Don't say it..." Jonah warned again under his breath.

"So..."

"Don't. Say. It!"

"So where's Captain Kirk?"

"I told you not to say it," Jonah hissed as he unintentionally copied his mother, and putting his hand over his face. 

"You are in such trouble when we get home," Jonah said into Daniel's ear, making it look as though he were giving him a kiss.

Dan gave Jonah a worried look, but when he saw Jonah carrying on with the conversation, laughing and smiling, Dan forgot the incident and laughed along with everyone else. Including Jonah's father, who had heard comments only about a million times, from Professors, faculty, and other students. He forced a smile and said, "Let's eat, shall we?"

"Yes," Jonah's mother agreed, glad that the issue seemed to be over, "There is plenty on the table, just fill up a plate and I'll put it in the microwave for a minute or two.

McCoy answered, "It's fine the way it is, I know that if you go through the trouble of heating it up, I'll get called into work," he smiled at his wife as he took more turkey and twice-baked potatoes and all the trimmings, stopping long enough to tell his wife that her cooking was perfect.

She gave a wide, pleased look, and let the situation go. 

McCoy sighed a little. Nearly everyone called him Mack or Dr. McIntyre, but there were even more people who called him by his whole first name. 

For the millionth time, McCoy considered changing his name, but then he'd have to pay to have his birth certificate, social security, his awards all changed to the new name. Instead, the name on his driver's license read, M. Dean McIntyre, MD, and his address and other information. The DMV seemed willing to work with him and didn't demand that he put his whole name on the card.

After everyone had finished dinner and took a little rest before indulging in the fifteen different kinds of desserts, including the rainbow jello mold and the cookies, which went over quite well. By the time they were ready to go, most of the desserts were gone.

"Gentlemen, you know that you're bringing home some leftovers. Now, help me find some little containers. I have the big ones already, but the smaller ones are in that cabinet that I can't reach just now."

Jonah grinned and shook his head before grabbing a handful of the containers, and their lids which were all stacked with military precision on the higher shelves. He handed them to his mother with a courtly bow.

"I can't reach up high enough to teach you a lesson right now," she said with a smile, "But I'm the perfect height to smack your backside," she joked.

"Ooooh, baby, you know what I like!" he sang just before his mother had given him a resounding smack.

Dan could see his husband grimace theatrically, Jonah wiggled his butt and said, "Ooooh, one more for the road."

"Get down, you nut!" his mother said, trying to hold back a laugh and failing miserably.

Jonah's mother packed as much as she could of each thing, including pumpkin, apple, and pecan pies. She knew that Dan loved pecan pie and had been pleased to be able to give him something that she knew he liked.

"Thanks, mom!" Jonah exclaimed as he packed as much as he could into a box. His mother had also washed out the very empty cookie platter. "I don't know how you do it, honey," she said, smiling at Daniel. "Mind if I give you a hug?" She asked politely.

Dan wasn't much of one for touching but he knew that it would please not only mom M, but it would make Jonah happy, so he hugged her gingerly, and kissed her forehead, hoping that it was the right thing to do. Judging by his husband's face it was exactly what to do.

"You're a charmer, you know that, Dan?"

Not knowing what a charmer was, he smiled at 'mom M' and said his goodbyes. The kids had been told that their uncle Dan was kind of shy, and not to be offended or upset if he didn't hug them.

They hugged their Uncle Jonah and thanked him and Uncle Daniel for their gifts, before scattering through the house, some to play, and others into the dining room to have a little more dessert, and coffee or apple cider or milk to wash it down with.

Daniel was a little unnerved on the ride home. Jonah hardly said a word, and usually, he was the talkative one.

Once they arrived home, Jonah put aside the gifts down, and the food into the fridge and turned toward his husband with a serious expression on his face. 

"Jonah, what's wrong?" Dan asked, confused, "Didn't you have a good time today?"

"Yep, had a great day until you made that Kirk comment."

"Kir... oh yeah," Daniel said, finally understanding, "I was just making a joke," he finished.

"My father's name isn't a joke, Dan," Jonah said, still in the mood he'd been in since they'd left his house.

"I didn't mean to make fun of his name," Daniel explained, "I really liked it. I thought it was cool."

"Then that's what you should have said," Jonah replied.

"You didn't think that it was funny? I was just trying to break the ice a little. I felt a little self-conscience about not really having anything to say."

"I told you, three times, not to say it, didn't I?"

"Well, yes," Daniel stammered, "I just thought... well... it just seemed funny at the time," the younger man said, scuffing the toe of his sneakers on the linoleum floor.

"It wasn't. You upset my father and mother, and you embarrassed me. Now, can you see what you did wrong there?" Jonah asked quietly.

"Um, yes, I guess," Dan replied, suddenly embarrassed now. "I really only meant it as a joke... I didn't mean to make fun of his name, just..."

"Yeah, I know, to lighten the mood," Jonah continued, "But you didn't do much more than possibly embarrass my father. He's heard that joke a million times growing up, and even more when he decided to go to practice medicine, and he's brilliant. Do you see now that what you said was not only inappropriate, and rude, but I told you three times not to say it?"

"I didn't think... I guess. I'm sorry. I'll call him right now and apologize."

"You do that, and then we have some unfinished business to take care of."

Daniel bit his lower lip and went to the landline to call Mr. McKintyre. 

"Don't worry about it Daniel, it's in the past. You'd think that I'd be used to it by now," the doctor laughed.

"I really didn't mean to make you self conscious. I like your name. A lot. But I understand better now. I'm really sorry."

"Dan, don't beat yourself over the head about it. It's not your fault that my parents were Star Trek addicts."

"Ok, if you're sure?" Dan asked hesitantly.

"I'm sure," Mr. McIntyre, replied. "Though thank you for the apology. Now, it's been a long day. You guys had better get to bed. The next week or so are going to be a nightmare."

"What happens tomorrow?" Daniel asked curiously.

"People partying, drinking irresponsibly, or hitting black ice while getting ready for the New Year, we'll get a lot of injuries through that week. Sometimes it gets so bad that doctors from all over the hospital have to come down to help."

"Do you have to work there?"

"It's where I started, and yes, I do have to work down there when needed. Not to say that the patients in my ward don't get individual time before I have to leave, and after we've finished, if they're still awake," he chuckled. 

"It was nice to talk to you, Dan, come on over again soon, and thank you for the apology. I think you're the first one to ever do that. My wife is absolutely in love with you and can't wait to see you and Jonah again. If you're free on New Year's eve feel free to drop in. I have three days off, including New Year's Day. I don't have to work, but if it gets bad I have to be ready to roll."

"I hope we can get there again soon, Mr. McIntyre." 

Call me Mack if you're not comfortable with McCoy. I know you won't do it again."

"I promise, no more Kirk jokes."

"Pretend that we're in the same room and that I'm shaking your hand."

"Thank you, sir," Dan repled gratefully.

"No problem," McCoy, said, "Just remember to call me Mack, ok?"

"Yes, sir... I mean, Mack," Dan replied with a smile.

"Goodbye, son," Mack said affectionately.

" 'G'night... Mack," Daniel said, feeling happy and guilty at the same time as he hung the old fashioned phone into the cradle.

Daniel turned toward Jonah and said, happily, "He said it was no problem and to forget it. So, um... are you still mad at me?"

"I'm not mad," Jonah replied, "just disappointed more than anything else."

"But why? I called to apologize and your father said it was all ok. I mean, he let it go. Can't we too?"

"Normally I'd say yes, over and done with, but I told you three times not to say it. Three times and I know you heard me, but you chose to ignore what I said, and although it's a holiday, and I never thought I'd have really do it at all, you've earned your first spanking," Jonah said, regretfully.

"But Jonah," Daniel said, a slight tremor to his voice, "your father said it was alright... I mean."

"It's not alright, Dan. If you had listened to me and done what I said, there wouldn't be a problem. The fact of the matter is that you did hear me and chose to ignore me, and that kind of behavior is what has caused this to happen."

"I'm sorry, Jonah," Dan said uncertainly, not happy to have his holiday ruined by what he thought of as Jonah's overreacting to what had happened, "But it's really not my fault... " he began to argue.

Jonah opened one of the utensil drawers and picked out a wooden spatula, he then took hold of Daniel's arm, turned him around, and gave him a dozen stinging smacks with it which left Dan gasping for air even as his eyes began to fill up with tears.

"When I tell you to do something, I expect you to listen to me, understand? When I tell you to stop, you stop. I'm not talking just to hear myself. I care for you, Dan, and I guess if it takes a whack or two I'll see to it."

"I'm sorry, Jonah! I'm really sorry! I won't do it again! Please stop!"

Jonah delivered another half dozen swats that had Dan on his toes, trying to get out of Jonah's grasp.

"I promise, Jonah! If it happens again, I promise I'll listen to you!"

"Is this what it takes for you to remember things?" Jonah asked sadly.

"No." Dan replied, his voice trembling, and authentically remorseful.

"I hope not," Jonah replied, his voice deeper than usual as he tried not to let his own tears escape.  
"I think you should go take your shower and get to bed," he said as he tossed the spatula into the sink.

Daniel looked at the clock and saw that it was barely eight o'clock. "But, Jonah..." he began.

"What did we just talk about, Dan?" Jonah asked sternly, picking the spatula up again.

"I'll listen to you," Daniel said, his eyes widened a bit as he realized that Jonah would smack him again if he argued the point. Jonah had threatened to spank him if he needed it, and Daniel had agreed to the terms, never thinking that it would actually happen.

"I'll listen," he repeated.

Jonah sighed and released Dan's arm. "Get going now. I'll come to bed in a little while."

"Ok," Dan said once again, preparing himself for more of the same if he said anything to the contrary.  
"I'll take my shower now, and go to bed," he agreed.

Jonah took a deep breath and watched as Daniel hurried into the bathroom and closed the door. Once in the shower, Dan gasped a little as the hot water ran over his equally hot backside. He washed as quickly as possible, put on the shorts and tee-shirt he usually wore to bed, and jumped under the blankets, gasping a little when his rear made contact with the mattress, despite the fact that it was normally very comfortable. c

An hour and a half later, he heard Jonah in the shower. Daniel was relieved that his husband hadn't 'gone to get the paper', only to take off to parts unknown. 

Daniel had just begun to fall asleep when Jonah joined him. He put his arm around his husband's waist and listened to his heart and breathing, both of which worked to cause him to fall asleep more easily.

"Are you still upset with me?" He asked nervously, afraid that he'd crossed that invisible line.

His concern was unfounded when Jonah replied, "No, hon. I'm not upset, or angry with you. As my dad most likely said, it's all in the past. No need to be upset about what happened. It's over and done with, and I love you, no matter what, alright?"

He snuggled close to his husband and sleepily he asked, "Jonah? What does charming mean?"

Jonah began to answer the question, only to find that his beloved Daniel had fallen asleep. With a sigh of contentment, Jonah joined Dan in his dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ideas by my DM... 
> 
> Sincerely, 
> 
> Snarks
> 
> I would also like to thank Lizard B for her input and helpful advice, and to all of those who left Kudos.


	28. Daniel and Jonah Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Concept by DM,  
co-written and edited by Snarksnboojums
> 
> More than just fun in the snow.

Concept by DM, co-written and edited by Snarksnboojums

It had been a rough week. The basement had been flooded and the water heater was out of commission. Daniel and Jonah had been able to bring their dirty clothes to Dan's mother, who had also suggested that they take a shower while they were home.

Despite all of that, Daniel had been fussing ever since about not being able to wash the dishes, pots, and pans that they had been unable to wash since the dishwasher was out of order so they tried to wash them by hand, but even using a lot of dish soap, the things never came out as clean as he wanted it. 

Jonah woke and found Daniel missing once more, but by the sound of it, he was in the middle of one of his cleaning frenzies and was now washing the stove, by the sound of it. Jonah let out a sigh of relief and frustration, as he walked into the kitchen, trying not to startle his husband.

Daniel smiled a little as he heard Jonah approaching but pretended not to hear him.

Jonah gently put his hand onto Dan's shoulder and in barely more than a whisper, called his name.

Daniel turned viciously, clutching the sponge he'd been using, growling dangerously. "Mine," he said in a creepy tone that Jonah was sure he'd heard before but couldn't place from where at the moment. 

"What?" Jonah replied, taken aback.

"Mine," Daniel rasped, "It's mine! My precious. *My* precious!"

Finally placing where he'd heard it before, Jonah smiled in relief.

"Come on, Smartass," Jonah responded affectionately, "Time to go to bed, hon. This will all be here tomorrow, and we can work on it together. It's 2 AM and time for bed. Come on Dan," Jonah said as he took both of Dan's hands into his own, to pull him up.

"No," Daniel argued, gently breaking the grip, "I need to get these done now! It's important!"

"So is getting a reasonable amount of sleep," Jonah replied with just a hint of exasperation, "If not for yourself then for my sake, got me? And no, you can't, and you shouldn't need to," Jonah replied, his tone stern, "Now, get to bed," he finished, giving Daniel a swift, but soft smack on his backside.

"Yes," Dan replied reluctantly.

"Now go the bathroom and clean your hands and face," Jonah insisted while he retrieved nightwear for his husband from the basket of clean laundry. He put them in the dryer so that they would be warm on the chilly January night. Even though he knew that Daniel swore that cold didn't bother him, he insisted that Dan put on the slightly warmer night clothes and a pair of socks. He knew that Dan wouldn't like it, but after being on the cold floor his body felt chilled.

As expected, Daniel did protest, until he was in warm clothes. That was when he realized that he indeed was cold and eagerly slipped into the socks and soft sleep pants, tee-shirt, and socks. Especially the socks, he thought to himself, although he'd never admit it to anyone.

The next morning, Daniel was off work that day and Jonah stayed home to make sure that Dan didn't go back into a whirlwind mode, insisting that he could and would do it all by himself. 

"Don't make me really have to give you a harder smack," Jonah threatened. "Where did you get the idea in your head that you have to clean every day, both before and after work?"

Daniel looked guilty as he answered, "I... umm... for the longest time I didn't do anything around the house, I didn't care that mom was doing everything by herself. Dad was working, I was a smart ass kid, Freddie isn't any better, and mom only complained once. We all kind of let it go over our heads, and I guess that's why she gave up. Sometimes she'd let the cleaning go because she was just so tired, but then she'd get back to it until the place was perfect again. Once I was old enough, I suddenly realized what she did for us every day. Cooking, cleaning, making beds... everything. I realized what we'd been doing to her, and I started helping in the house as much as I could."

"I know that she was surprised in a good way, but she smiled at me when I asked her what I could do. I saw her sigh in relief, or whatever her emotion it was... I'm still not used to picking up on the language and facial expressions, but I knew that she was happy. I did all I could for her, and pretty soon I'm going to have to do more at her house once she has her total knee replacement. She's going to be out of service for a while, and all I can think of to do for her is to keep her house clean."  
Jonah furrowed his eyebrows as he thought about Seb, who had undergone heart surgery not to long ago, so he pretty much knew that he'd find much help there, even though he insisted that he was fine. Freddie would only do things around the house when he was bribed, either with junk food, or cash, which he immediately used to buy junk food with.

"If we can't get your brother to lend a hand, then we just let him go and do his own thing. We will not, however, wash his clothes, make his bed, wash and such, until he gets the hint and helps out on his own."

Dan smiled and shook his head. "You'd think twice about that, I think," he said with a laugh, "If you saw what his room looks like now, you wouldn't be able to stay in there for long. Mom and dad respect his privacy now that he's a teenager, so he just does what he wants, lets the clothes pile up, not to mention that he'll wear the same clothes day after day."

Jonah wrinkled his nose a bit but didn't say anything which caused Daniel to laugh a little. "Don't worry about that, he's always on his laptop, so he doesn't do anything to get dirty. And yes, he does take showers and wash his hair whenever mom reminds him. He doesn't put up much of a fuss, though. He loves the shower."

Jonah took a deep breath and couldn't help but wonder how Dan found the energy to not only keep their house spotless, but to clean his mother's house before and after, and on his days off.

While Dan might have had trouble reading people in general, he knew Jonah, and could usually read him pretty well. "It's the least I can do, after all that time not lifting a finger."

"I can't imagine you that way," Jonah said thoughtfully, "it's obvious that you feel the same way here. You don't need to, you know."

Dan smiled softly, "I know, but once I started doing it, I found that I kind of liked it... except when the dishes pile up. I'm glad that we finally got hot water again."

"Well, hon, I have a surprise for you. We both have the weekend off, and I think it might be fun to go to the Castle Trail."

Dan's face lit up, "I haven't been there in years! But isn't a little cold out?" he asked nervously.

"The park is open year-round, and we can take the lower trail. It will be a lot easier to get up than the other one."

Dan smiled widely and hugged his husband, "I can't wait!"! excitement in his eyes. Jonah grinned in return. "Now," he said, "I know that all you have is that school type backpack and that won't carry everything that we'll need, so," he continued as he took out his wallet, and handed Daniel his credit card. "Don't worry, hon, just buy what we'll need. Make a list if you think you'll forget anything, OK?"  
"I won't forget, Jonah," Dan smiled in excitement, "Thank you so much! I've been wanting to go there for ages!"

Jonah leaned down slightly and gave his husband a sweet kiss, knowing that anything more would result in other things, and Dan would forget about everything else, "Now, get going, put your hood up, and zip that jacket!" he ordered.

Daniel grinned and said, "What'll you do if I don't?"

"I'll have to give you a good spanking." Jonah grinned back.

"Oohhh, sounds good! Promise?"

Jonah laughed and hugged his husband, "Get going before the weekend rolls around, and don't forget to get yourself a real backpack, understand?"

Daniel grimaced, "I don't' remember what it was I'm supposed to go out for... will you remind me?" 

Jonah replied by helping Dan into his coat, wrapping a scarf loosely around his neck, and struggled to get Dan's gloves on. Dan had decided to comply but refused, in his mind, to help, keeping his hands and arms deadweight.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing," Jonah said, trying to sound stern, "I know about passive resistance, I'm the oldest brother in my family, remember?"

Dan frowned, not understanding what one thing had to do with the other.

"I ran into many cases of passive resistance, mostly with my brother and sister, and house-work were concerned."

With a guilty expression, Dan put the credit card and shopping list into his hip pocket where it was less likely to fall out or be stolen, and his shopping list before putting on the other glove.

Once in the store, Dan took off his gloves and stuffed them into his jacket pocket. He took out his list and looked at the first thing he'd written down.

He nodded and went into the directions where the lighters were kept. Seeing nothing other than cigarette lighters, he went down the automotive aisle and found the long lighter that he'd been thinking of. He bought two, just in case. he reminded himself.

Two loaves of bread, two full boxes each of fruit and soup, as well as a new pot to heat the food up. He was determined to make sure that they had enough. It was going to be cold out until their bodies heated up under all of the winter gear.

Daniel frowned at the next thing he'd written down. He was the first to admit that he wasn't a good speller, and he could barely make out his own writing. Looking at his list again, he finally made out that the word was compass, as well as three bottles of water. Maybe six would be better, just in case, he reminded himself.

Flashlights, batteries, two first aid kits, pain killers and ace bandages, a sturdy stick that he planned to carve a walking stick with, and lastly, a sewing kit. With a big smile, Dan visited the one store he knew that sold stage set makeup. Jonah had washed the acrylic paint from his face but a faint residue was left on. It was impossible to scrub off, so, therefore, had to remain on his face until he could wash it off.

Jonah always had an emergency kit available, but Dan remembered that Jonah's was next to empty, and the threader and little scissors had been lost somewhere.

He studied his list again and mentally head smacked himself when he remembered that he'd actually come for a new backpack.

He headed to the sports department and found what he'd been looking for. He found two backpacks and a blanket. He thought that he should buy two but he didn't want to spend much more. If they found themselves too cold, they could share the blanket and their body heat to keep themselves warm, On a whim, he bought a package of thick socks. He considered buying thermal underwear, but he thought that that would make them too hot as they traveled along, so he bypassed those. Two sets of winter boots. He knew that he didn't have any, and couldn't remember if Jonah had one, so he put those in his basket as well.

He considered a few other things but when he saw the total, he was glad that he hadn't gotten them. He worried that he'd already spent too much, and he didn't want to take advantage of Jonah's generosity. He thanked the cashier who offered to bag his purchases to put the things into the backpacks instead. After he payed, he put all of the canned goods into the first pack and the lighter items in the other. He admitted that it was a little hard to keep his balance but he stood against the wall, called the taxi, and waited in the cold air. He was afraid to go inside to wait in case he missed it somehow, and kept a lookout for the license plate that the app told him to look for.  
  
Strangely, the taxi showed up quickly and the driver helped him put the backpacks into the trunk of the car. That being done he told the driver the directions and they'd arrived in no time flat. He remembered to call Jonah, who despite the cold was waiting for him on the front steps without a coat or shoes.

Dan raised an eyebrow significantly at Jonah who grinned at him as he took a bag out of the trunk. His face went red when he felt how heavy it was. "Lord, Dan, what did you do, buy the store?" he joked.

Daniel paused with a thoughtful expression, for a few seconds and replied, "No, I don't think so. I did leave a few things on the shelves. I didn't want to look greedy."

"Brat," Jonah said affectionately as he took the heavier of the packs and began to distribute the weight carefully. If Dan had his way, he knew that Dan would take the entire weight and leave him with the bread and other light goods. When he came across the first aid kits, ace bandages, the six bottles of water, and everything in between, he shook his head in dismay

"Dan," Jonah teased, "You have enough here to feed a small army!"

"My mother always said, better safe than sorry, I think that she'd be amazed that I'd remembered at least one of the things she tried to teach me," he said with a smile.

"Your mother is not only beautiful but wise as well," Jonah replied with admiration.

In a very serious tone, Daniel said, "You're right if you don't mind me saying that."

The weekend came quickly, but to Daniel, it felt as though the week would never end. Now that they were on their way to Castle Park, he could barely contain his excitement. Even though it was flurrying a bit, they still made the trip to the park. Jonah just couldn't say no so they packed up, dressed against the cold weather, and headed to the park. 

While the park was always open, there were no rangers on-site to help if needed. Jonah worried about that but was sure that, as long as they were cautious, the trip would be enjoyable for both of them.

As they were admiring the sight at the top of the castle, the flurries turned to snow. They had only been at the castle for a little over two hours, after spending a half-hour making the walk in the first place. 

"Dan, honey, I know that you'd like to stay longer, but the snow is coming down harder. I think it's time for us to head home," Jonah said, hoping for compliance on Daniel's part. His husband looked upset but knew that Jonah was right. They made their way down the trail a little more carefully than they had on the way up.

They made it to the car which was covered with wet snow. Daniel immediately made a snowball and tossed it at Jonah with a big smile on his face. Jonah, not willing to back down from a fight, made another snowball and tossed it in Daniel's direction. They indulged themselves in a quick fight, which Daniel won fair and square.

"Ok, kiddo, it's time to head home before this gets any worse," Jonah reminded him.

Dan made a face but got into the car, grateful for the warm air coming from the vents. He buckled in, and settled his backpack on his lap.

Jonah looked around and said, "Looks like the plows have already gone by, though with only a little snow I'm surprised they're out at all.

"Can we have another snowball fight when we get home?" Daniel asked.

"Let's get warm, dry clothes on first, then we can out outside, deal?"

'I am warm!" Daniel protested.

Jonah took his eyes off of the road for just a moment when he realized that the car was slipping about. Daniel looked nervous but didn't say a word. Jonah was a very good driver and had driven in snowy conditions before. He trusted his husband one hundred percent. He found his heart pounding when the car spun around facing oncoming traffic. Jonah maneuvered the car back onto the road and tried to turn the car around as the road seemed to be clear, thanks to the plows.

Jonah breathed a sigh of relief and after calming down a little, he smiled at Daniel and winked at him. "No worries, hon. We're ok."

As he got the car properly onto the road and went on their way, they slid again, despite the obvious care that he was using. Once again, despite his care, the car once again hit a patch of ice leftover from the efforts of the plow that must have passed perhaps an hour ago. Unable to control the car on the vast patch of ice, Jonah tried to give the car it's head, but the tires were not cooperative. 

The last thing that Daniel saw was the front airbags deploying as they kicked in, and then all went dark.

To be continued

Reference to the story "The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. No copyright is intended.


	29. Daniel and Jonah part B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Be careful what you wish for

The last thing that Daniel saw was the front airbags deploying as they kicked in, and then all went dark.

He was the first to wake up. The backpack he'd been holding on his lap had buffered the blow of the airbag, causing it to act more like a punch to the belly, which caused no lasting damage.

He saw Jonah, still seeming to be asleep, and still breathing, though he didn't wake up when Dan shook his arm carefully. Jonah moaned a little but otherwise made no sound.

He took his cellphone from his pocket to call for help. Getting no signal, he tossed it aside and gave Jonah his full attention. He became more anxious for every second that Jonah remained barely conscience. That was when he noticed some of the smaller pieces of the safety glass embedded into Jonah's forehead.

Dan attention was entirely on Jonah when he finally saw the broken glass from the window, some of which had hit Jonah in the forehead, he opened one of the packs, then taking out one of the first aid kits assessed the damage.

Preparing for the worst, and despite the freezing cold of the interior of the car, Daniel took a clean pad, then unable to find the surgical tape, first gently removing the little shards that had made it through the broken window, cleaned the area, then bound it with an ace bandage. Jonah groaned and shifted in the seat a little.

Having done what he could think of for the moment he threw the second pack on, then somehow pulled what was left of Jonah's car door. Without thinking about it, he had pulled the door off its hinges.

He pulled the lever beside the driver's side seat to make more room as gently as he could. He shook Jonah once more to wake him up.

Jonah sighed and opened his eyes slightly.

Elated, Daniel spoke to his husband, quietly.

"Jonah... can you hear me?"

"Ummm," was all Dan could get from him.

"C'mon, hon," he said gently, "We have to get out of here, and I can't carry you. Do you think you can walk a little? There's a house maybe a half-mile from the road here."

"Phone?" Jonah asked, the words came from his mouth in a raspy tone, as though he'd swallowed a handful of sand.

"No signal, but I'm sure we can find help at that house. Maybe they have a phone we can use." Dan said, hopefully. "Can you walk a bit?"

"Yuh," Jonah managed to say.

As carefully as possible, in case of other injuries that he couldn't see, he helped Jonah out of the car and slipped one of his arms beneath Jonah's back so that he would take the weight off of the still half-conscious man.

It was a bit of a trek through the snow that was piling up quickly, but after what seemed to Dan like a hundred miles the two of them came upon the solitary house. It was wildly overrun with dead ivy and other vines, which covered the entrance to the porch and door. Dan sighed. He could tell that no one had lived there in a long time, and his heart sank. He knocked on the door, just in case, and it opened by itself on rusty hinges.

He pushed the door open and closed it again with his foot. There was nothing in the house except for broken furniture and dry leaves. He concentrated on Jonah, putting his close to the empty and cold fireplace. He put the packs aside and found some of the tins of food. He found what he was looking for. 

Taking a can of mixed fruit, he popped open the pull tab. Taking one of the spoons they'd packed, he dipped it into the juice and fed a little to his husband. Jonah managed about three spoons full before he fell asleep again.

Daniel took off his own jacket and put it underneath Jonah's head to act as a pillow, then pulled out the blanket. Daniel sighed as he realized that it was only big enough for one person, but he liked the cold and didn't think that it would bother him much. picking up as much wood as he could find, he made a bed of dried leaves put some of the smaller broken table and chair legs in a pyramid shape, he used one of the longer lighters and set the kindling alight before looking for more wood. He placed Jonah nearest the fireplace to keep him warm.

Knowing that the wood he had burning wouldn't last long, he resumed his search. He began to pull away from the warped stairs and saw that mold, mildew, and dust had collected on them and let it go, but not before he sneezed five or six times before remembering something he'd seen on a popular news show about burning anything with mold and mildew since it could cause breathing problems later.

Worried more for Jonah than himself, he tore off the bottom of his shirt and wrapped his husband's mouth and nose with some of the cloth before putting a length of it over his own.

He knew that the wood had mildew on it, so he kept a keen eye open for any signs of it before placing it onto the bits of wood he'd already tossed into the fireplace. He checked on Jonah a few times, testing him to see if he could wake up. The news show that he enjoyed watching had also shown the viewers what to watch for when your patient was unconscious. One of which had been to keep your friend awake after a head injury. But Daniel was tired from his efforts and decided to lay down next to Jonah for just a few minutes. He thought he could share his body heat, but the longer he laid down, the more tired he became.

'I'll just close my eyes for a few moments,' he thought to himself, "just a few moments."

Before he knew it, he awakened and found himself flying over a beautiful stretch of verdant green foliage that turned out to be a vast forest. It took him a moment to realize that he wasn't on a hang glider as he'd first thought. Instead, he realized that he had wings. Large, beautiful, white wings with hints of gold in the feathers that shone in the sun. Feeling elated he swooped down and around the trees, pulling up from a dive before he hit the treetops, flying in figure eights and wide circles, enjoying the wind on his face and ruffling through his feathers, the sun was shining warmly on his back, and the skies were a vibrant blue. He swooped up in a reverse tailspin before diving back down into a nearby meadow, brushing his feet on the tall grass and wildflowers. The scent reminded him of his mother's flower garden in the backyard, and he took deep breaths as he flew but wrinkled his nose a bit as he breathed in and smelled something else. Something different. Not horrible, exactly, but not what he expected from wildflowers.

He pulled himself back and upward to escape the strange odor. As he flew, he caught sight of a friendly-looking, though isolated, log cabin that he immediately knew was his. He landed gently in the clearing around the structure then tried the door, which opened easily. As he looked around he saw comfortable furniture, a television, a fully stocked refrigerator that contained not only plenty of food but his favorite beer as well. He shook his head in amazement. This was everything that he'd dreamed of. Either that, he thought, or an ice castle in the north. After this experience, though, he decided that he liked the cabin instead. Although it was already a warm day, he placed some kindling into the brick fireplace and let it catch on before he added a couple of logs. Anything, he thought, to get rid of that odor that he'd grown to dislike. Again, it wasn't overpowering, just more of a nuisance than anything else. He was happy when the smell of the fire overpowered all traces of the other. 

He took a beer from the refrigerator and pulled out a cold beer, sitting gingerly on the overstuffed couch to watch a bit of television. He immediately found the history channel and settled back to watch. He jumped up suddenly, only just remembering his wings. He didn't think that they were going to be ruined by sitting on them, but he'd rather not take the chance. As he stood up and felt for his wings to make sure that they weren't damaged in some way, and felt a jolt of fear as he realized that they weren't there. 'Please,' he thought, 'please, don't take them away!'

After his fervent prayer, he felt an odd sensation on his back. He reached around once again and was relieved to find that they were there. He wondered why they'd disappeared only to feel them retract somehow. When he concentrated, he found that he could spread and retract his wings as desired. Happy that he would never lose his wings as long as he was here... wherever here was. Feeling truly as happy as he could remember he retracted his beautiful wings, and then sat down to enjoy his beer. 

That went on for several days, during which he would occasionally get a whiff of that odd smell, but he'd more or less gotten used to it and he put it out of his mind. There was something missing, he thought, though he wasn't sure what it was at the moment. For the time being, he reveled in the fantastic place where he had somehow ended up. He explored further and further over the vast landscape, as always with that warm breeze on his face, and the blue skies above, but after what seemed to be an eternity by himself, he began to grow bored. He still had the bright blue, sunny sky, the warm breezes, the fireplace which never seemed too hot or too cold but was always comforting in its own way, and the lake that he liked to swim in. However, he couldn't help but wonder what could possibly be missing. Another warmth, perhaps. A different kind of warmth. Now and then he could hear his name being called, softly, but he figured that it was only the breeze ruffling the leaves on the trees, or perhaps even it running over the tall grass.

Day by day he would hear his name being whispered, softly, but more insistent than it had before. Bothered and yet curious, he walked into a room that he'd never seen before.

p>The next things he was aware of were white walls and an antiseptic smell.

"Dan," came the familiar voice, "Danny?"

Dan's eyes finally focused on Jonah. He tried to talk to his husband but there was something on his face. He tried to pull it off, but Jonah took Dan's hands and held them gently.

"You have to leave that on, hon," Jonah said, his voice caring and stern at the same time, "You can talk to me. I'll understand you."

"Where..."

"We're in the hospital, hon, you're alright now," Jonah said in a reassuring tone, "You saved my life, you know, " he said with a smile as he gently pushed some of Dan's hair off of his forehead.

"I was stupid," Dan said as he punched his forehead.

"Dan! Dan!" Jonah said, trying not to yell as he pulled his husband's hands away from his face, "What are you doing!?"

"Stupid, stupid stupid," Dan said, trying to break free of Jonah's grasp.

"Why do you think you're stupid? Dan, whatever you did, it was the best thing you could have under the circumstances. I don't understand why you're hitting yourself?"

"It's a thing that my mother does whenever bad memories sneak up on her."

"She told you to hit your head with you're upset?" Jonah replied in horror.

"Well, no," Dan explained, "she said to use the flat of my palm, and to do it so that I wouldn't hurt myself, but sometimes... sometimes I get really upset with myself, and I'm harder on myself. Especially when I do something stupid like I did."

"I don't want to ever see you do that again, hon, I'm serious."

"But,"

"No buts about it. Maybe that works for your mother," Jonah said, planning to have a talk with Angie when they got home, "Maybe that works for her, but I don't want you to ever do that again."

"But," Daniel explained, "it helps me to make the bad memories go away."

"We have to find a better way to do that then," Jonah said sternly, "we're going to find another, better way to release that anger and frustration."

"But, my mom," Daniel began.

"As I said before, we'll find another way for you to deal with things."

"Jonah," Daniel said softly, "Are they going to put me in the psych ward?"

"No, babe, they're not going to put you there," Jonah replied, relieved that he'd gotten through to his husband.

"Jonah," Dan began to say, his eyelids drooping despite his best efforts.

"What hon?"

"I love you," Daniel managed to say just before he fell into a peaceful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the small chapter, but there are more to come.
> 
> Thanks to Chrissysmiles for her suggestions. :)


	30. Chapter 30

Daniel and Jonah had a quiet day together on Valentine's Day. 

Jonah had wondered why and where Daniel had been disappearing on his days off, but when he asked Daniel what he was up to, Dan had only smiled and continued their conversation as though they had never spoken about it at all. His interest was put aside to see what Dan's gift would be. They had agreed that they could give each other small, handmade gifts, their only nod to Valentine's Day. 

When Daniel went to the chest that had once been his grandfather's, he took the slender key from his pocket, opened it, and took out a strangely shaped, wrapped object.

"So that's where the key went. You said you didn't know, fibber," He laughed.

"I didn't know," Daniel grinned, "I gave the key to Henry, who would pass it around, so I really didn't know who had it." Daniel replied with a grin, "Therefore I didn't know where it was... so, technically I didn't lie, see?"

"Brat," Jonah replied fondly, handing his gift to Daniel who looked at his, prettily wrapped, as they exchanged gifts. Jonah had carved a piece of wood to show birds flying above treetops.

"I love it," Dan said, a little breathlessly, "Thank you... Jo..." he replied," Dan said with a grin as he tried out Jonah's nickname. 

Jonah only smiled to show that it didn't mind as he opened the present. He was astounded to see what looked like a roll of copper.

"Well," Daniel said, "Are you going to open it up, or just look at it?" Dan replied with a little uncertainty in his voice.

Jonah carefully unrolled the paper-thin piece of copper, which was very pliable despite the fact that it was metal. Around the edges was etched what looked like Celtic braids, and carefully etched words, which Jonah could see but couldn't make heads or tails of .

"It's beautiful Dan," Jonah said quietly, "What does it say?" he said as he ran his finger over the words, which had been carefully smoothed to avoid accidental cuts.

"It says, 'Mairidh ar gaol gu bràth' Dan replied solemnly.

Jonah held back a laugh, "What I meant was, what does it say in English?"

"Our Love Will Last Forever," Dan replied, embarrassed. "I kind of had to look it up on the translation app on the computer. I'm not sure if I got it right."

Jonah walked over to Daniel, who was still blushing, then leaned down a little to give his love a long kiss, "I love you, sweetheart. Thank you for such a wonderful present." he said breathlessly. "What do you say that we go into the bedroom to cap the day off in another way?"

Dan smiled and in a husky voice agreed, "So, does that mean you want to show me your ethings?"

Jonah was too far gone in his desire for his man that he didn't tell Dan that he had mispronounced the word. At the moment it wasn't the first thing on his mind. All Jonah had time to think about was Dan, and for what he could show him that evening.

On Saint Patrick's Day, they were invited to Big John's house for a St. Patrick's Day party. Big John was Italian but loved to find any reason for his family and friends to get together. The one he held that night around the fire pit in his backyard, was as fun as every other one he'd hosted. He had made his delicious fried dough. It was always perfect, and tasted great, with either sauce or powdered sugar. Daniel had one of each, laughing as the powdered sugar stuck to his face or partially blew away in the chilly March wind. 

Everyone gathered around the fire pit for s'mores or a cup of Irish coffee, talking and laughing, especially Dan who made some of his better puns which made Jonah cringe, but had everyone else laughing along with them.

Big John made tea and offered soda or water for Dan and anyone else who preferred that to coffee. Some folks just went for the bottles of beer or allowed Big John to mix drinks for them. They were potent and warmed folks up better than the fire did. Jonah made sure that he and Dan had only one alcoholic drink each, settling for water for the rest of the night. Dan wasn't too happy about that, but after Jonah had pulled him away from the rest of the group and gave him two or three smacks, which hurt a little more because of the cold weather, Daniel had to agree with Jonah that the alcohol wouldn't mix well with the meds he took. That didn't stop him from filling up on fried dough and taking more home when the party finally ended at about midnight.

When they arrived at their apartment, Daniel took another of the fried dough and sat back to enjoy it. He had tried to make it several times, but the insides just came out doughy or overcooked on the outside. Jonah had always been nice about it but Daniel could tell after his time with his best friend and lover, that he really wasn't enjoying it. Dan had tried to make it like Big John, but he couldn't quite manage it. Each time he'd get frustrated and give up, only to try again a few days later. Jonah loved Dan's persistence and wondered which parent he'd gotten that from.

April Fools Day had quickly approached, and Jonah was debating on whether or not to pull just a little prank. He had no idea how Dan would take it. That was before he put sugar in his coffee... or rather, it was supposed to be sugar but was actually salt. Before he could say anything to Daniel, his lover had poured Jonah a fresh coffee, then the salt shaker. Wary now of the last prank that Daniel had played on him, he tested the stuff before putting any more into his coffee. He was a little miffed that he had to start off his day with nasty coffee, especially at four in the morning.

He arched his eyebrows and gave Daniel 'the look', which was returned with a big smile and the usual mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Oh, you're gonna get it, little boy," he growled.

"Promise?" Dan replied.

Shaking his head and finally laughing, he pulled Dan over to him and then over his knee giving Daniel twelve playful smacks to his backside.

Dan just giggled and pushed his rear end up a little, inviting Jonah to deliver a few more.

Instead of that, he put Dan back on his feet and stood to give him a bear hug and a long kiss. "Don't mess with my coffee," he threatened, trying to fight back a smile.

Daniel winked at Jonah and went to take his shower, nodding his head toward the bathroom. Jonah didn't need to be asked twice, and happily joined his lover enjoying the feel of Daniel's skin as they soaped each other's bodies, which in turn led them to another bout of sex. There was no way that Jonah, or Daniel, for that matter, could resist the other.   
By the time they'd finished, the time had flown by, and Jonah realized that he was going to be very late for work. Laying kisses on Daniel's lips now and again as he hastily dressed, Jonah finally gave Daniel one last kiss as he prepared to leave. "Save the rest for later," he grinned. Daniel kissed back in such a way that Jonah had to think twice about leaving for the day, but as the manager and owner of the cafe, he had to at least make a showing, and do a little work... and to plot his revenge on Dan for the coffee incident earlier.

A great idea struck him as he drove by the local toy store. He made the decision to buy a few things as soon as he could leave the cafe.

Jonah and the others had to be careful. Their clientele was mostly business people and lawyers, but that didn't stop some of the more playful ones from trying to prank him and his crew. A few of his employees had come up with some great pranks to play on them in return, but Jonah had to put an end to those ideas since he was sure that, real or not, a rubber rat caught in a trap, which would squirm if touched was funny but not really what people in his cafe would find terribly funny.

"Not the best prank for our lively hood. I don't think that any of our customers would appreciate it. I'm sure that someone would call pest control, and possibly the health department, so... no." he said in a no-nonsense tone.

The woman who had suggested it had frowned and pouted a little until the beginning of the breakfast rush, and she was all business as usual.

It had been a busy day, and everyone was too tired to even think of eating for the moment. They'd made so many sandwiches during lunch, the very idea of eating anything for the moment made some of them a little queazy. Jonah commanded them to at least drink something, and they could eat something later if their stomachs were up to it. It wasn't a regular thing for them, but today had been busier than usual, most of the time there were just enough customers to keep them going at least for the breakfast rush, but the breakfast crowd turned almost flawlessly into the lunch rush which was crazy, even for Jonah's crew. There had been no time for anything more than bathroom visits, and the occasional, very short, coffee break.

Jonah was glad when the lunch rush ended. He turned the sign around to read Closed, then he and the others just sat and took their time, some eventually eating, and drinking iced tea, water, or juice.

"What do you all think about closing up for the day?" Jonah suggested.

He could tell by the embarrassed expressions on his crew's faces that they had been thinking the same thing.

"If you don't mind..." one of them said rather plaintively.

"Ok, folks, if you want to, eat, have a rest here, and we'll close shop."

"This isn't an April Fools Day prank, is it?" Elyssa, a new hire, asked suspiciously.

Jonah laughed, "No, not at all. Unless you want to stay by yourself for the dinner rush, I think we'd all like some time off... besides," he whispered, "Dan pranked me this morning... I need to return the favor," he added with a wink.

"Ohhh, what are you going to do?" One of the guys asked in an excited tone, "I need to get my kids back. They did the usual kid-type prank, putting whipped cream in my hand and waking me up with a feather tickling my nose."

"Well, my prank is definitely aimed at Dan... what did you want to do to get the kids back?"

"If I had an idea then I'd be doing it, right?" he laughed.

"How about Sasha's idea of the rubber rat? It is funny, and the kids won't call the health department," Jonah said with a grin.

Gerry laughed at that, "Rubber rat it is then."

"Ok, guys, try to eat, bring something home for the family since we're closing early, and I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, the others dug into their lunches, drank what had to be a gallon of juice and iced tea from the cooler, and wrapped enough to feed their families for a week or so. Sam was especially grateful that Jonah gave him the chicken breasts, bread, lettuce, and tomato. He had a rather large family, and even on Jonah's more than generous pay, he needed it to put a downpayment on a house for the whole family, his wife, who was expecting their seventh child, two cats, a dog, two pet mice, and a turtle named Kyle.

After thoroughly cleaning the kitchen and public areas, Jonah closed up for the day, wished his crew a good night, even though it was only three-thirty, and headed for the toy store before it could close. He found what he wanted in no time, paid for his purchases, and headed home to make sure that he'd get home before Dan did.

He grinned as he placed the walkie-talkies in various parts of the apartment, then went outside to hide inside of the garage that accommodated one car for each apartment until he heard Dan saying goodbye to his taxi driver, and heading inside. He heard Dan calling out to him but he needed to get his boy but good for ruining a perfectly good cup of coffee that morning. He smiled and tried not to laugh as he began 'Operation: Get Daniel Back.' 

Jonah started his evil plot by putting each walkie-talkie on a different frequency so that he could control which one went off and where. He smiled as he turned on his talkie and began to meow, first in the kitchen, then the bathroom, then the bedroom.

Daniel didn't like cats. At all. They made him nervous, he'd admitted. He was always afraid of stepping on one. He didn't like the ones that bit and clawed... playing, he'd been told, though judging by the scratches and claw marks on people's hands, cats still made him uneasy. He was especially weirded out, by the way, some of them sat very still and looked at you, or looked over your shoulder until you would look back to make sure that there was not someone, or something, behind you.

He knew that Jonah knew that he didn't like cats and wondered if a stray had gotten in somehow. He knew that Jonah wouldn't have gone off and bought a pet cat. Just as he was about to look around the kitchen for the cat, the meowing would begin in another room. This happened again and again. Daniel was becoming more nervous as he tried to track down the cat, not knowing what he'd do with it once he found it.

After a few minutes, Jonah decided that Daniel had had enough and he laughed over the talkie. "It's just me Dan," he laughed again, "There's no real cat here, it's just me."

"I'm gonna kill him. Kill him. Kill him." Daniel muttered to himself. "Cook him, mash him, put him in a stew," he said over and over again, unaware that the toys had been set up so that the person on the other end, in this case, Jonah, could hear him.

"Well," Jonah said, still over the walkie-talkie, "Since I'm not too crazy about being eaten up, how about I take you out for dinner instead?"

Daniel considered Jonah's proposition for a few moments, then agreed that dinner out would be much better than cannibalization.

"Fine," Daniel replied, still a little put out by the cat trick, "I get to pick the restaurant, so make sure you have a nice fat wallet."

"That, I can live with," Jonah laughed.


	31. She said what?!

Dan woke up late on the third Thursday of April and he was bored out of his mind. It was about seven hours before Jonah would get home from work. He momentarily considered walking to the cafe, but he knew that Jonah hated the idea of him taking the hour-long walk to the cafe on a street that had no sidewalks, the same street where he'd been clipped by Emira's car that night after

On Jonah's end, he looked forward to closing time, he missed Daniel and hated to leave him for any amount of time, but he was a realistic man, and if there were not two incomes then the idea of buying a house for the two of them would have been nothing but a dream. In the meantime, they had looked at a few already. There had been some that looked nice but neither of them had been certain and decided to look around some more. He smiled at the thought of his love waiting for him at home. Jonah had bought Dan the moped with the promise that he wouldn't go out onto the street without his helmet and his phone, just in case. So far, though, everything had been as quiet as possible despite the morning rush, and he continued his work as usual. He was grateful that the morning rush had just about ended so that there would be time for he and his crew to relax for a little while before getting back to work, cleaning and slicing meats and cheeses for the lunch crowd.

Daniel, for his part, had slept until ten that morning, and sat in the kitchen, debating whether to call for some Chinese, or Italian food. He grimaced a little as he remembered that he and Jonah had already gone shopping, so there really was no reason to call for anything. Instead, he made himself a ham and cheese sandwich, one of his favorites, and sat down to eat as he looked around to see what needed to be done. Anyone else who entered the apartment would swear that it was as clean as it could be, but with his keen eyes, he found a few things that he could do to pass some time. 

He did the laundry, washing, drying, and folding, between washing a few dishes and utensils, and then sweeping and vacuuming the floors and beneath the couch and chairs, careful of anything large that might get stuck in the machine despite his care. He didn't mind doing these things, he actually took pleasure at keeping the apartment clean and uncluttered to show Jonah how much he appreciated him. Jonah wasn't one for gifts or cards unless it was a birthday or a holiday so Dan felt that keeping their place clean was one of the ways that he could show his thanks and love to this wonderful man he'd somehow found. 

He was interrupted in his musings as the doorbell to their apartment sounded. He put the unnecessary vacuum aside and went downstairs to get the mail. As usual, he riffled through the letters, bills, and junk mail. Most were for Jonah, as usual. Just then, a man, whom Daniel didn't recognize, entered the building with a smile. He looked at the names on the letterbox and turned toward Dan. "Are you Daniel Johnson?" He asked. 

Daniel was still a bit wary of strangers but admitted that he was indeed, the person that the man was looking for.

"I have something for you," the man said, handing Daniel an envelope which was addressed to him, The man smiled again as he said, "You've been served," before turning and heading back out of the door. Dan felt his stomach clench. Served? For what?! It was from the state if the stamp on the front was for real. He was definitely afraid to open this one without Jonah being there. He was tempted to call his man right then and there because he was sure that the cafe would be packed as was usual for Thursdays and Fridays, so he put the letter away, for the time being, trying not to think about it, and working extremely hard in the apartment to keep his stomach from rejecting everything that he'd had for breakfast. He knew himself well enough to know the signs of when he was about to be sick, so he poured some ginger ale which he sipped before sitting down in the living room to continue to watch the movie. He had been watching the movie, and yet still had no idea what he was watching or what it was about. He tried his best to stop worrying about the letter but felt somewhat safer waiting for Jonah to return. He'd ask Jonah to read it, and hoped that it had simply been a sick joke, or perhaps mailed to the wrong person. Yes, he thought, that's what it was... what else could it be? With that thought, he managed to calm down enough to actually watch the movie.

Jonah called before he headed home, just to let Daniel know that he'd be picking up some chicken and sides from Dan's favorite fast-food restaurant. Dan sighed. He'd been so intent on the movie he was watching that he hadn't even thought to make anything for dinner.

"Thanks, Jonah," he replied with relief, "I guess I lost track of time," he admitted with a guilty expression, "something came in the mail for me and... Jonah, April first is the only time to play pranks on people, right?" he added nervously.

With a smile, Jonah replied, "As far as I know, yes, but there are people out there who will play pranks, April Fools day or not. Is there something I need to know before I walk in the door?" He asked with a teasing tone to his voice.

"Um..." Daniel said, uncertainly, "I'm not sure. I got something today and... I don't know if it's meant as a joke or not. I need you to look at it, alright?"

Now worried, Jonah asked, "You sound upset, Dan. I don't know what it is, but I'll check it out, ok? In the meantime, don't worry. We'll figure it out together."

Dan sighed with relief, "Thanks, Jo, I appreciate it. Just please... get here soon, OK?"

"I'll be there as fast as I can without getting a ticket for speeding. Whatever it is, we'll talk about it later. In the meantime, please try not to worry."

"Ok," Dan replied faintly.

Jonah, true to his word, arrived about five minutes earlier than it normally took him to get home on a typical day. Before he could take his keys out to unlock the door, Daniel threw it open and flung himself into his partner's arms. "I'm so glad that you're home!" He said, his voice thick with nerves and unshed tears.

Jonah hugged his lover, pressing him in a bear hug. It was only then that Jonah felt Dan crying against his jacket.

"Hon, whatever it is, we'll get through this one way or the other," Jonah said in a soothing tone, "Now, show me what's got you so upset, alright?"

Daniel had been holding the worst of his anxiety in for most of the day, but knew that it would be safe to cry in front of his man without being made fun of. Silently, he handed Jonah the still unopened envelope, then sat down at the kitchen table, shaking slightly as Jonah carefully tore the envelope open. He was worried about his love's trembling, so he put the letter back onto the table and went into the living room. He grabbed the throw blanket that was draped across the back of the couch, and put it around his boy's shoulders, then sat down beside him, wrapping his partner into a one armed hug as he picked up the paper to read it.

As he read, his eyes grew wide in shock, "This can't be right," Jonah said, pulling Dan into a tighter hug, "Look, just in case this is real, we'll go down to the office and get this taken care of. In the meantime, please try to relax. Out of curiosity, do you recognize the name of the woman who is accusing you of being her baby's father?" he asked as he showed the letter to the still anxious Daniel.

"Baby's father?!" Dan said incredulously. "Baby's... what baby?!" he asked as he took the letter from Jonah and looked at the name on the paper. His brow furrowed as he cudgeled his brain as he tried to remember. Suddenly Dan's eyes narrowed with dislike before he looked at Jonah. "Yes, I do remember her. We were friends from middle school through high school, but we were only friends. We were only friends since both of us had a hard time making friends. She was a little on the strange side for as long as I knew her, but that didn't bother me. Honestly, Jonah, that's all we were... friends. I knew that she had a thing for me, but... well, just not into girls, at any age."

"And you haven't seen her at all since then?"

"No, I'd have remembered her," Dan replied, pointing to the woman's name, "Samantha Gails," he said quietly, "I don't understand why she's naming me, though. The only way I could be the father is if she were pregnant since high school. I'll admit that I'm not one hundred percent exactly how pregnancy works, but I know enough to say that she couldn't have been pregnant for eight years."

Jonah nearly smiled at the idea of Dan being the father to a child after an eight-year gap. At least until they decided whether or not they both wanted to adopt. He knew that if Daniel saw him smiling he would become more upset than he already was. Instead, he said, "Hey, don't stress yourself out over this. We'll go to the courthouse, get the test done, and be out of there in no time. There's nothing to worry about. I'm with you one way or the other."

"Do you really think that..." Dan began to say, his tone one of hurt at the thought that his lover would have any doubts about his situation.

"Not at all, hon, honestly, not one doubt, alright?"

"But you said one way or the other..."

"I know it's not you, hon, and as soon as we can get the test done, then you can prove that it couldn't have been you, and I'll be right there beside you."

"Right beside me?" Dan asked imploringly.

"If it comes down to a court case, and if I can sit right beside you as a character witness, I will, otherwise I'll be in the front row, as close to you as possible."

"First row?" Dan asked in a worried tone.

"I'll make sure of it, honey, we'll get through this together. I promise."

Daniel leaned in to give Jonah a hug, which Jonah was happy to return. 

"I'm worried, Jonah," Daniel confessed. "You know how I feel about cops... will there be any cops there if it comes to a trial?"

"There might be a bailiff, or one police officer there to prevent the defendant from going after the plaintiff, and visa versa, but there won't be more than just the one." Jonah reassured Daniel.

"Ok," Dan replied, his voice quavering a little despite Jonah's supportive words.

"So, now, let me look at the paper again. I'm pretty sure that there is a time, date, and place for you to go for the test. The worst part of this might be having to see her again, but even that won't be for long."

Dan just shook his head, trying to wrap his brain around what was going on. "I don't understand why..."

"Honey, we'll get through this together," Jonah repeated. 

"Why do these things happen to me?" he asked.

"These things?" Jonah asked, "Has something like this happened before?"

'No, not like this, it's just... having that crazy man insisting that I was his son and locking me up, the time Emira came here all worried about clipping me with her car that time, the... the time we went off the road," Dan said, his voice trailing off as he thought back to the incidents.

"Dan," Jonah said seriously, "You saved my life that day. There's nothing to feel guilty about, understand?"

His lover nodded his head uncertainly, not thoroughly believing, but Jonah wasn't going to press the matter... for now, at least.

"Honey, it won't be you alone. We're in this together."

The younger man put his head against Jonah's as he began to cry again, silently, his chest heaving with the effort to be quiet.

Jonah looked at the letter again, reading more of its contents. "Alright hon, this says you need to go there next Wednesday. Now, just take some deep breaths, and then let it out slowly, about three times, more if you feel you need it."

"I have to work on Wednesday!" Daniel said nervously through his tears.

"You'll have to call out for that day hon, but it's no big deal, you have personal days, and even vacation days due, you can just ask your boss for the day off and still get paid for it, right?"

"I hate to call out for no reason..."

"It's not for no reason," Jonah said in a serious tone, "It's to prove that you're not the child's father, once and for all."

Dan took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "It can't be me, Jonah. I know it's not me, and she has to know that herself. I just don't understand why she's doing this."

"It's like you said, I guess, the wheel is spinning but the hamster is dead."

Dan frowned, "I didn't say that, did I?"

"Not in so many words, no, but this test will prove it, and we can get on with our lives. So, please hon, don't let this upset you. We only have this one thing to do, the woman..."

"Samantha," Daniel supplied her name, "Samantha Gails, I still don't understand..." he shook his head again.

"It's less than a week away, and I don't want you to worry that whole time," Jonah said quietly, "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for."

Daniel sighed, tears still making tracks down his cheeks, "I guess so. I know it's not me but... just the thought of having to go to court scares me. I've seen judges on television being rude and yelling at the defendant. Do you think he'll yell at me?"

"Now, stop projecting what might happen. Remember, I'll be there for you, the whole time. I mean it. I doubt that it'll come down to a court case. In the meantime, I just want you to relax as much as possible."

"Ok," Dan replied quietly as Jonah wiped the tears from his partner's face before taking his chin and turned Dan's face to his own, "I love you," he said, kissing Daniel gently, "And I believe you."

Dan nearly started to cry again from sheer relief but Jonah stopped his tears with another, stronger kiss. We. Will. Get. Through. This. Understand?" Daniel nodded his head and took a few deep breaths as Jonah had suggested. He had to admit that the exercise worked as he felt a little better for it.

"Ok, babe, if you're feeling up to it, let's have some dinner before it gets cold... I hate to microwave chicken, and it would take too long to heat the oven."

Daniel smiled, his tears drying up, "Ok... babe..." he said, looking up at Jonah and winked at him.

Jonah smiled back and kissed Daniel again, "You can call me babe all you want, I like it."

"So," Dan said with a grin, "dinner?"

"Sounds good, we can have an indoor picnic. Come on sweetheart, before that chicken runs away on us."

Dan had finally gotten used to Jonah's sense of humor and knew that the chicken wouldn't actually go anywhere of it's own volition. "Dinner sounds good."

Jonah took a breath and let out slowly, glad that he'd been able to calm his partner down enough to eat. He got up from the table, took some paper plates, durable plastic utensils, and some seemingly indestructible plastic cups, and set the table while Daniel placed the chicken in the middle of the table before serving Jonah a hearty helping of chicken and sides before filling the cups with iced tea.

With the both of them eating and cracking jokes in between bites, Daniel was much more at ease, smiling, and laughing at Jonah's puns which he had to admit were worse than any that he'd told so far.

During the next few days, Jonah managed to keep his love from panicking again by telling him about the funny things that had happened at work while they ate dinner together.

Daniel spent his day off going on a cleaning spree even though in honesty there was nothing that needed it. It was the best way he could think of to keep his mind off of the upcoming paternity test. He knew that there was no way that he was the child's father, and he tried to calm himself with that knowledge. Most of the time anyway.

Whenever he felt that he was getting nervous or upset he worked through it and proceeded to clean the already spotless apartment. When he felt that there was nothing else for him to do, he found another project. The closets need to be gone through and vacuumed. He tackled that problem happily, the apartment was small, but it had four closets for him to sort through. He found some out at the toes sneakers that he'd been holding onto for some reason and tossed them into the trash bag that he'd brought from the kitchen. There were clothes that no longer fit him as well. The ones that were still in good condition he put in another bag for the donation box.

By the time he'd finished the closets, he decided to get dinner started even though he still had a couple of hours left. He decided to make something fast and easy and proceeded to make homemade sauce and meatballs before checking out the pantry for the right kind of macaroni and putting the partially cooked meatballs into the sauce, knowing that they would cook all the way through. With by the time Jonah returned home from work.

Dan turned the heat off from beneath the saucepot, checked to make sure that he wasn't missing anything that could cause a hazard, then grabbed his keys and helmet and phone, before he left to go to the grocery store, sure that he could get back and the sauce is done before Jonah arrived. He only had to go to the nearest grocery store, a ten-minute walk, or a three-minute ride, to buy mild Italian sausage, garlic bread, and a couple of sticks of pepperoni.

Arriving home and relieved that he hadn't burned the apartment down, he gave his hands a thorough washing as he'd seen Jonah do, then proceeded to cook the sausages, and cut up some of the pepperonis into the sauce as it was, again knowing that it would soften up as the sauce cooked. He frequently stirred it before waving the scent of the sauce toward himself until it smelled just right. He added a little water until the sauce wasn't too thick to eat before filling the macaroni pot with water. He looked at the clock and smiled in relief. Except for the fact that the macaroni wasn't cooked yet, he knew that there was enough time before Jonah returned. He placed the garlic bread on a cookie sheet, chopped up some more garlic. He spread the existing butter more evenly on each side before he put a little more onto the bread. Neither one of us is a vampire, he thought, so a little garlic couldn't hurt... could it?

It was still a little too early to put the bread in, so he made a large salad, adding black olives, which he knew Jonah liked. They weren't too bad, Daniel admitted to himself, but it had been an acquired taste. He shuddered a little as he remembered Jonah's niece dipping her pizza in ranch dressing. He had been assured that it really tasted great, but he was sure that he wouldn't like it. Jonah's niece tried again, with a new piece of pizza, but the smell alone had made his stomach clench. Now he understood the battle of Jonah versus sushi.

The day of the test, Daniel paced back and forth, his nerves and shoulders tight with anxiety. Jonah had just finished getting dressed as he walked up behind Dan and proceeded to give him a massage. At first Dan's shoulders tensed up even more until he began to get a headache. Jonah could see the signs, so he sat his boy on a kitchen chair and began to gently massage his temples. As he did that, he spoke softly, as his mother had often done when he hadn't felt well, and led Dan through a relaxation excercise that he'd learned from her.

Soon, he could feel Dan's shoulders relax, and his breathing, which had been shallow before, had evened out as he leaned his head against Jonah's stomach. He went back to massaging his boy's shoulders, still speaking in that soft tone. When Daniel was more relaxed, Jonah gave him a gentle hug. He hated to remind Dan that it was nearly time to leave, now that he was so relaxed. Somewhat reluctantly, he increased the pressure of his hug and gently reminded Dan that it was nearly time to go. As always Dan reverted to the clothes he was most comfortable in and began to put on one of his suits. "You won't need a suit, hon, and you don't need a tie," he said, "Casual slacks and a nice shirt will be fine."

For the first time Daniel took a look at Jonah and saw that he was already dressed. No tie, no suit jacket, and he breathed a sigh of relief at the news. He liked to wear his formal clothing, preferred it to the jeans and sweats that Jonah had bought for him a few weeks ago, so he settled for a pair of suit pants, a grey button-down shirt, and black dress shoes. Jonah twisted his mouth slightly but remembered what his mother had said about picking your battles, so he didn't bring it up. He knew, from past conversations, that dressing in black slacks and a collard polo made Dan feel more secure.

"Are you ready hon?" Jonah asked quietly.

"I'm ready," he replied, his voice trembling with anxiety as he gripped Jonah's free hand. It was so forceful that Jonah actually felt the blood flow to his fingers slow down. Jonah gently released Dan's hand, flexing his fingers as he wrapped Daniel into another hug. "We'll be fine," Jonah repeated, "There is nothing to worry about. We're in this together."

"Yes," Daniel managed to whisper, "together."

He took Dan's hand again, gripping gently and bringing it to his mouth to plant a kiss on it. "It'll be alright, Dan. It'll be fine."

Dan took another deep breath and nodded his head as he opened the door and pretty much led Jonah to the car. He saw that the doors were unlocked so he let himself into the passenger side, shut the door, buckled himself in, and sat stiffly, eyes straight ahead. His expression was set, as though he were going to his execution rather than just a paternity test.

They arrived in plenty of time to take the test, only to find out that Samantha and her child were nowhere to be found. They rescheduled for another day and left to go to lunch.

"You'll feel a lot better with some food in your stomach," Jonah said to engage Dan in conversation. For his part, Daniel just breathed deeply but remained silent. His expression had changed, Jonah noticed, from grim to angry.

"Dan? What's going through that gorgeous head of yours?"

"Why didn't she show up to her own summons? I can't figure out what game she's playing, but I don't like it, and I especially don't like standing there like an idiot for an hour, waiting for her to show up."

"Well, the next appointment is scheduled for this coming Thursday, so it won't be much longer."

"Why wouldn't she show up to her own summons?"

"Dan, honey, we'll find out on Thursday. I'm sure that she's going to be ordered to show up. This wait is just temporary, and we'll get this all straightened out."

Dan nodded stiffly and then kept his eyes straight ahead.

"So, do you feel like having a nice lunch? My treat." Jonah smiled, waiting for Dan to insist that he pay instead. When the usual reply never came, Jonah glanced at Daniel worriedly.

"Ok," Daniel finally said in a distracted tone, "I guess so."

"We'll go to the Cross Road, how's that?" Jonah asked, knowing that that was one of his favorite places to eat.

"Ok," was the quiet reply.

Jonah plastered a smile on his face and squeezed Dan's knee gently before training his eyes on the road. He grinned as they arrived at the restaurant. After the hostess showed them to a table, handing the men a menu each, telling them that their waiter would be with them soon to take their orders.

"Your usual?" their usual waiter asked with a smile, "And for you also?" he asked Daniel

"Ill have coffee, thanks," Jonah said. He looked at Daniel and asked, "Iced tea? Or are you in the mood for a shake?" Daniel shrugged but remained silent.

"Strawberry shake for my friend here, please," he said with a smile for the waiter.

They spent some time perusing the menu before they decided what they would have. He wasn't surprised when Dan ordered a BLT and fries, extra bacon. Jonah breathed a sigh of relief. The fact that Daniel was willing to eat at all, let alone a sandwich that was a sure artery clogger, relieved some of Jonah's concern. Again he reminded himself to pick his battles, concerned with the amount of bacon that Dan was about to consume. Right now, though, Jonah was willing to do anything to make his boy happy.

Dan and Jonah arrived at the same time as the last test had been scheduled, but again, Samantha didn't appear. Nervous and angry at the same time, Daniel stalked out of the building and back to the car with Jonah close behind. 

In the following weeks, Jonah noticed that Daniel had stopped gathering the mail, instead waiting for Jonah to return home and check what had come in. He brushed the thought aside, feeling terrible for his boy. He was determined to keep things light hearted... until another letter arrived, this time through regular post.

Daniel immediately tensed up again and his skin, fair to begin with, had turned nearly translucent.

"It's ok, hon," Jonah reassured Daniel as he opened the envelope as he had done before.

"What is it?" Dan asked faintly, afraid to hear that he was getting another summons. "Do I really have to go?"

"Whatever it is, it's probably a good idea to actually show up," Jonah replied, "Let's just see what this is before you get nervous again."

"I hate to tell you this, but I'm already nervous," Dan said with a smile, "Please open it, Jonah. I can't do it."

Jonah removed the paper and read it. "It seems that the other two men that she's accused of fathering her baby have issued her a summons to appear in court. We're going to have to as well. But..." he reassured his partner, "it's going to be a cakewalk. You're most definitely not the father, so there's nothing to be afraid of."

"Jonah?"

"Yes, hon?"

"What's a cakewalk?"

"It means that this is going to be easy. Nothing to be afraid of at all," Jonah replied with a genuine smile as he hugged Daniel and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"When is it? The hearing, I mean."

"The other men have asked the court to see the case as soon as possible. With luck, maybe as soon as next week. I'm not sure but I think it'll be soon, especially since she never showed to either appointment. The letter says that if she doesn't show this time, then she'll be arrested for failure to appear."

Daniel took another deep breath and sighed. "I wish this whole thing was over. I don't know how much more I can take."

"Remember what I told you, you're stronger and more intelligent than you give yourself credit for. You're an honest man. I believe you."

Dan blushed a little. Jonah was constantly telling him that, and had once whacked his backside hard enough to turn his rear end medium shade of pink because his reaction to that statement had been, "Bullshit."

"So, when we go, is it casual dress again?"

"Not this time, Dan, when we go to court we have to wear more formal clothes. Basically, the same things you wore to the tests that never happened, but with a tie and jacket as well."

"Oh, ok." was the only response he received.

Surprised, Jonah watched as Dan turned away to go into their bedroom. He could hear his partner rummaging through the closets, looking for acceptable clothing.

When Jonah joined him, he nearly laughed again, but again, he knew that Daniel wouldn't understand why.

"Danny?" Jonah said to get his lover's attention. He knew that the only people who had ever called him had been his little family, so it came as something of a shock to the younger man and he looked at Jonah as though he'd grown a third eye on his forehead.

"You can't wear those pants, hon, please."

"I don't understand, what's wrong with them?"

"Well, for one, they're two sizes too big for you. I've seen you wearing them before and they look terrible. Any larger and you won't be able to hold them up even with a belt. We are going to the store and buy you some dressier clothes that fit," he said, empathizing the last word, "And I don't want to hear any more about it. I know that you like to buy from the Good Will, however, we don't need to shop there this time, especially when there's no dressing room for you to try things on. I'd rather bring you to MacArthur's for new clothes that actually fit. No arguments," he said with finality as he saw Dan open his mouth to disagree.

Daniel closed his mouth with the click of his teeth. He gave Jonah a look of disappointment.

"Ok, kiddo, what's the problem?"

"I know that you want me to look nicer for the court case, but can we really afford a new suit? I don't want to..." his voice trailed off.

"You don't want to what, hon?"

"I... don't want to... for people... to think that I'm just using you for your money," Dan admitted slowly.

"Dan, I told you before, it's OUR money, not entirely mine and none that's entirely yours, it's our money, and you're entitled to it as much as I am, and yes, we can afford to buy you decent clothes. These," he said, holding up the huge slacks that Dan had taken out to wear to the court date, "look like elephant skin, and I see here that you've tied some string through some of the belt loops to keep them up. No more of that, got me?"

"Yes, Jonah, I hear you. I still feel uncomfortable going to a regular store though."

"Stop then," Jonah commanded, "As I said, we can afford some good clothes for you, and that's final."

Dan was about to make a sarcastic remark and then quickly bit it back. Jonah hadn't had to spank him very often, but when it did happen, Dan swore to be careful not to repeat whatever it was that he'd done or said, and one very strong rule was no backtalk. He too remembered what had happened the last time Jonah had smacked him, and he didn't want a repeat.

The shopping trip wasn't as long or as distasteful as Dan had expected. The suits that they looked at didn't cost much more than the clothes he'd found at Good Will. They picked out a dark blue suit, and a diagonally striped tie with different shades that blended together beautifully, and that were perfect for the suit, and a pale blue shirt that they'd finally agreed on. "The shirt brings out the blue in your eyes," Jonah had said. Daniel had blushed a little at the compliment and he looked shyly at Jonah as they went to the register to pay.

Once again, they stopped for lunch at a restaurant that specialized in great seafood, including sushi which Daniel happily ate. He ordered the clam strip platter and a large soda. The platter came with fries, but he put them aside, knowing that Dan would probably eat those as well. He looked forward to when this ordeal was finished, and the two of them could get back to their normal routine.

The days seemed to be dragging as though through a lake of molasses. But when the court date finally came around, Daniel could have sworn that the time had gone by way too fast. He and Jonah dressed, Dan took another moment to brush imaginary dust off of his shoes before following Jonah out to the car once more.

"Jonah," Daniel said weakly after driving for about ten minutes.

"What is it Dan?"

"I don't feel very well."

With a concerned expression, Jonah flipped on his hazard signals and pulled over into the breakdown lane where and he and Dan got out on the passenger side for safety.

He led Dan to the metal barrier and had him sit down and take deep breaths. 

"I'm sorry, Jo, breathing right now is just making me feel worse. It could be because of the exhaust from the cars."

"Alright, let's try it this way, we'll get back into the car, I'll put the air on, and if you still feel sick we'll pull over again."

"Sounds ok," Daniel replied, his face now turning from porcelain to slightly green. Jonah got him into the car as quickly as he could and as promised, turned the air on full blast. After they buckled in once more, they continued on their journey. The courtroom was only a mile away from where they lived, and normally a fast trip, but traffic was insane, even by Jonah's standards, and he knew that they would have to get to the parking garage before it filled up.

"Do you feel any better, Dan?"

The younger man took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm afraid that I'll lose my breakfast if I go back out into that funky air."

"There's not much we can do about that, hon, can you try holding your nose? Or better yet," he continued, removing a clean handkerchief from his jacket pocket and handing it to Daniel.

"Just hold that over your nose for now. Maybe that'll help decrease the amount of pollution that might otherwise make you feel ill."

Dan thanked his partner and did as he had been told. He was in heaven, he thought, as he took deep breaths he could smell Jonah's aftershave. It wasn't an overpowering scent, just enough to keep his mind off of the trial for a few minutes.

As they walked into the courthouse, Dan began to get nervous again. He'd never seen anything like what was ahead of him before. People were emptying their pockets of change and keys, and scanning women's pocketbooks before returning said items. Dan was glad to see that, he'd been afraid that his possessions would be taken and that all he'd have left besides his new suit, were his shoes, and coat. Jonah had seen his boy's trepidation and took his belongings from his pockets and put them in a little basket to show him that it was alright.

Dan reluctantly emptied his pockets as he was told to go beneath some sort of an arch... guarded by a police officer. He grabbed Jonah's arm, his blood pressure going up and his heart thudding in his chest.

Jonah leaned down slightly and whispered, "Everyone who comes in here goes through this, it's not just you, understand?"

"Ok," Dan replied nervously.

Jonah smiled to put Daniel at ease, "Just don't look so scared because they'll take it as a sign of guilt, just be careful, now, we have to go through the arch and then get our stuff back. Just stay calm. Concentrate on me, rather than anything else. Look at my hair, my back..."

"Your butt," Daniel whispered with an impish grin.

"I think that's going a little too far," Jonah whispered back, "Later when we get home," he said with a wink, "See you on the other side, honey."

When the two men arrived at the correct courtroom, they noticed two other men sitting outside on the bench with confused expressions.

"Samantha?" Daniel asked.

One of the men spoke up immediately, "Yeah, you too?"

"Yep."

"I'm surprised that it's just three of us. I could have sworn that she knew every guy in the senior year of high school."

"I don't know about that," Dan admitted, "She was just a friend of mine."

" If I had a friend like that I'd run in the other direction," the second man added with a grimace.

"So, do you guys even know her?" Dan asked.

"Hell, I don't really remember," the first man said, "but if she's the one I'm thinking of, I know for sure that I wasn't the only one in her little black book."

Before Dan could ask what a little black book was, the first man apologized, "I'm being rude here, sorry, my name is Nick Dunbar."

"And mine is Craig Tanner," the second man said, "Pleased to meet you..."

"Daniel. My name is Daniel," the younger man said as Jonah elbowed him, gently, in the ribs.

"And this is my partner, Jonah," Dan added, love and pride in his voice.

"You guys work together?" Craig said.

"No," Jonah replied with a devilish grin, "We live with each other," In his mind, the best way to find the difference between lovers or haters was the way they reacted to the news that they were gay. Fakers had a smile plastered on their faces, their bodies would stiffen up slightly, and more often than not they'd claim to be looking for friends and excuse themselves as quickly, and sometimes as politely as possible.

Neither man reacted that way, though they both laughed, "Well, she's in for a surprise, isn't she?" Nick said, his face turning red from laughing so much. "Ah, God, throw some ice water on me to sober me up or I'll be laughing during the court."

"I don't have ice water," Dan said, "but I did buy a bottle of cola... but they wouldn't let me in with it even though it was still sealed. I guess they were worried that I might drink it during the proceedings," he added blushing just a little.

"Hey, if it's still there when we break for lunch, can we share it? We can go to 'Food for Thought' and get some sandwiches, my treat in exchange for you offering the cola, ok?"

They didn't understand why Jonah and Daniel were laughing.

"What's so funny?" Nick demanded.

"Jonah... Jonah owns..." Dan said unable to stop laughing.

Jonah got control of himself quickly and said, "I own Food for Thought."

"You're kidding," Craig said, disbelief clear on his face, and in his tone of voice.

"I'd recognize you," Nick added, "I'm in there all the time!"

"Picture me with a black baseball cap with our logo on it."

"Holy sh... I mean... wow! That's great!"

"So, I'll offer you both a one-time-only, free lunch on me."

"Wow, Nick replied, "You have got to be the two coolest guys I've ever met!"

"Don't try to butter me up, kiddo," Jonah said in a serious tone before he winked at the two men to let them know that he was just kidding. "Well, a little butter won't hurt, I guess."

"Beats margarine by a long shot," Craig said with a shudder.

The other men all agreed with either smiles or grimaces.

"Talk about forgetting manners," Nick said, snapping his fingers, "We didn't even offer you a seat here. Have a seat, guys."

Dan shook his head but thanked the men, he was much too confused and frankly afraid of what was going to happen. 

Jonah had explained as much as he knew about cases like this, but he'd never been in the position that Dan was in. "Come on, hon, please sit with me, you're making me more nervous as I already feel," he joked.

"I really feel better when I'm walking, Jonah, it helps me to concentrate, and to think. It helps me to burn off some nervous energy. Please?"

"Sure, Dan. If it makes you feel better." Jonah conceded.

"Thanks," was all that Daniel said as he continued his pacing up and down the corridor.

"Man, you're making me tired," Craig teased.

Daniel smiled and then started to tap dance. 

"Oh, man!" Nick joined in, "You're killing me," he laughed.

"Daniel," was all that Jonah said.

Immediately Dan stopped dancing, and with cheeks pink with embarrassment, sat down quietly beside his man.

Not long afterward, Craig and Nick were called in. They waved goodbye and wished Daniel good luck.

"They think I could be the baby's father," Dan said, his voice flat and toneless as it had been for most of his life. It all but disappeared when Jonah or his family were around. Jonah had hoped never to hear that tone again, and he became more nervous, as though he were catching it from his partner. When Dan started to mutter the same words over and over, Jonah wondered if this experience would set him back from all of the accomplishments he'd made in a short time.

They heard the gavel pounding, and the judge speaking sternly even though neither of the men could hear exactly what she was saying. They both knew that the judge wasn't very happy with what was going on.

Thankfully they were nowhere near the door when the bailiff came out to call Daniel in. With another nervous look at Jonah, he followed the man into the courtroom. He was so concerned that he didn't notice Jonah following close by, and luckily finding a front-row seat across the room so that Daniel could see him.

"Please join the judge at the witness stand," he said as he helped Dan get safely up the narrow steps where he sat down in the chair next to him. He'd already been coached as to what kind of behavior was acceptable, and to address the judge as Your Honor."

" Mr. Johnson, how are you today?" the judge asked in a friendly tone.

"Nervous. I know that I have nothing to be nervous about, but I've never been in a courtroom before," Dan replied, his voice quivering slightly.

"Well, there's nothing to be nervous about as long as you're truthful with me." the man said, smiling down at the young man.

"Yes Your Honor," Dan replied.

"Mr. Johnson, do you know the plaintiff?"

"Yes, your honor."  
According to you, you two were very close friends for several years, is that correct?"

"Well, yes, in a way. We were just friends. I'm not sure of what you consider 'close' to mean."

"Were you close enough to produce a child, Mr. Johnson?"

"No, your honor. I... she tried to make it more than it was, but I kept telling her that I was sure it wouldn't work out. She got mad at me and didn't talk to me for two weeks,"  
Dan replied, "but after those two weeks she came on to me again, and...well your honor, she kept on trying even though I kept saying..."

Just then the woman behind the plaintiff's podium began to yell, "You know that Daniel Johnson Junior is your son! You're lying through your teeth! We spent a wonderful night, we had dinner out, we stopped off at a bar on the way back to my dorm room, and that's when we conceived little Daniel. Tell the truth!" she practically screamed.

The judge smacked his gavel on the little circle of wood to get her attention.

"Quiet, please. This is a relatively small room, and we don't need to yell in here. I'd like some consideration for each other, and keep any comments polite."

"But he's a big fucking liar, your honor! He's always been that way, even when we were kids."

"Language, Ms Gails."

"I'm sorry, your honor," Samantha said contritely, "it's just that, he's definitely Little Danny's father, and I just want him to be a real man and take care of his son," she continued in a more respectful voice. "I have proof that Daniel is his father," she said, holding out some papers.

"Alright, this is the child's birth certificate. I see the name of the biological father has been filled in, and it states that Daniel Johnson is the father."

At Daniel's horrified expression, the judge asked him to please sign his name on a piece of paper. "Several times, Mr. Johnson, if you would," the judge asked kindly.

Daniel was self-conscious about his cursive. They hadn't been taught that in school, and what little he knew was what his mother had taught him.

Doing the best he could, he signed his name, about four times before the judge said that what he'd gotten done so far was fine.

"Ms. Gails, I'm going to have our handwriting analyst compare the two signatures. Is there anything you'd like to say before the results of both the handwriting and the paternity of your child come in?"

"I'm not changing a thing, your honor. I don't understand why he's denying his son!"

"He's not my son!" Daniel finally shouted out with sheer frustration. "I'm sorry for yelling your honor, its just that... I haven't seen her since we graduated from high school, it's been about eight years. And we never had sex, your honor. Never, even though she came on to me nearly every day. At first, I thought it was a joke, and then it started getting old, and I told her so at the year-end party. She's always had a thing for me, but I swear that I never did anything with her. I'm even regretting bringing her to the prom, but she was my best, only friend at the time."

Samantha gave the judge a radiant, I told you so, smile. "That proves it! We graduated high school and went to the prom together! After the prom we... well, we did what a lot of the graduating class does before the end of the year party. That year is was at Clementine's house..." she began to ramble.

"And what year was your graduation, Ms. Gails?"

"2012, your honor, June of 2012."

"And what month and year was your son born?"

"April 20th, your honor. April 20th of 2013."

The judge did a few calculations and admitted that the timeline was a close match, "So why, Ms. Gails, if you were so certain that Mr. Johnson is the child's father, did you have these other men tested as well?"

"I admit that I... had a few encounters with those other men, but that was when I was already pregnant with Daniel's child."

"And your son is how old, now?"

"Eight years old, your honor."

"What made you wait so long to look for the child's biological father? Is there any other person that he calls daddy, who is around for this child?"

"My ex-boyfriend was there, your honor."

"So your son called your ex daddy?"

"Well, he's an ex now. We've been having a rough time of it and he decided to split up with me. I have a way to pay my bills, my car is about to be repossessed..."

"So basically you're searching for whoever can pay your bills, not necessarily your son's father," the judge asked curiously.

Realizing that she'd stuck her foot in her mouth she said, "I mean, of course, I helped to pay most of the bills, but my income isn't enough to cover all the bills, the groceries, just anything that we needed, anything that I asked for."

"What other evidence do you have that proves that Mr. Johnson is your child's biological father?"

Samantha, in a victorious manner, handed the papers to the bailiff, who brought them to the judge. 

"What are these, Ms. Gails?"

"Pictures, your honor. Pictures of Daniel there, to compare to my little boy! See? Right there, he has the same dirty blonde hair, the same little notch on his right ear!"

The judge was about to ask Daniel some questions when he saw that the man beside him was looking daggers at the woman behind the plaintiff's podium. It was more than obvious to him that the young man beside his was doing his best to keep his composure. The young man's face was bright red with anger. The judge was sure that if this were allowed to go on much longer then the man in the witness seat was about to explode.

The judge leaned over and whispered something in Dan's ear. Slowly but surely, the red faded from his face, although his cheeks and ears were still pink with unleashed anger. Just then, a woman was escorted to the witness stand.

"Thank you, Mrs. Taylor, for joining us. What can you tell us about the writing analysis?"

"It's obvious that the signatures are not alike. Mr. Johnson has a very hard grip on the pen, which causes small tears in the paper. The signature on the birth certificate was written by someone else, who had the basics of Mr. Johnson's signature which could pass as his as long as no one looked too closely. However, it is not Mr. Johnson's signature."

"Thank you, Mrs. Taylor, you are dismissed," the judge said with a wide smile for the woman.

"Mr Johnson, what do you have to add to this before we get to the test results."

"Not much, your honor, except to say that I am not the child's father biological or otherwise. Ms. Gails is going to be looking around for all of the men she slept with in hopes of finding the little one's real father."

"Mr. Johnson," the judge began to reprimand him.

"If he was my kid, I'd definitely man up, but he's not mine, and I have a couple of ways to prove it."

"Go ahead, Mr. Johnson," the judge prompted.

"His hair might be the same color as mine is now, but at his age, my hair was still platinum blonde. Sandy blonde hair is rather common. It's not proof that he's mine. I don't know how biology works in that case, but in the research that I did, it said that two people with light eyes have a very small chance of having a brown-eyed baby, and I don't know the exact number of people in the world, but from what I've seen it may be common to maybe a million other people. And as for the notch on his ear... that's not inherited at all. A barber was cutting my hair and accidentally got my ear with the scissor. Until we get the results of the test, I'll stand by my statement."

"Very well, Mr. Johnson."

"Ms. Gails, are you sure that you don't want to change your mind? Perhaps you have something else to add to this hearing?"

"No, your honor. Miiiisterrrr Johnson is the father. Once the DNA results come in, I can prove it, and he'd better pay up. He's just a deadbeat, trying to get out of his responsibility by denying his child... our child! Daniel, you fucker! Tell them the truth."

"Ms. Gails, I'm going to give you another chance, though my head tells me to do the opposite. Any more outbursts like that and you'll be fined five hundred dollars."

Samantha gave the judge a dirty look, but if he saw it, he couldn't have cared less.

"Alright then, the results are in. In the case of Gails versus Dunbar... Mr. Dunbar, you are not the father." Nick breathed a sigh of relief as tears began to well up in   
Samantha's eyes. She took a few tissues and dabbed at her eyes so that her makeup wouldn't run.

"In the case of Gails versus Tanner. Mr. Tanner, you are not the father." Craig thought that his legs would give out in relief, but he managed to stay on his feet. He looked in Daniel's direction, praying that he also, was not related to Samantha in any way, because he knew that she would only take advantage of the kid.

"Lastly, in the case of Gails versus Johnson. Mr. Johnson, you are not the father." Daniel merely nodded his head and thanked the judge.

"You may exit the witness stand, Mr. Johnson."

"But that has to be wrong!" Samantha objected, "I know that Dan is my kid's father! Daniel," she said, fixing her blue eyes on Dan, those same blue eyes that had freaked him out even when they'd been kids. "You're my friend! You've always been my friend! Through thick and thin, remember? The two outcasts, destined to be together forever! Tell them the truth! Dan! Come on, tell the truth!"

The judge banged his gavel, "Order. I want an order in this court. Ms. Gails, I'm going to say this for the last time. If you don't quiet down you'll be held in contempt of court."

Ms. Gails, these three men have been proven not to be your child's father. Is there anyone else that you can think of who might be Little Dan's biological father?"

"I'm not sure, your honor," Samantha said quietly.

"Can you find them and ask them to provide a DNA sample?"

"I'm not sure, your honor," she said again, her head bowed as she tried to wipe her face without smearing her makeup.

"Do you know how many other men you slept with?"

"About... well, counting these three... about 10? Maybe 12?"

The people in the gallery, who had been silent up till then, gasped at the news.

The judge's eyebrows raised so high that they seemed to disappear into his hairline.

"Well, Ms. Gails, I suggest that you find as many of the men you slept with and have them take a DNA test. Perhaps you'll be able to find the man who is really your child's father. Until that time, the court is adjourned," he said, banging his gavel two more times before getting up and whisking into his chambers.

Jonah rushed to hug Daniel, kissing him all over his face and neck. Some of the audience wrinkled their noses and skirted around the two men as though they had a communicable disease, causing Jonah to laugh, and even made Dan grin a little bit.

"Ok, sweetheart, it's all over. I'm very proud of you for keeping quiet and respectful during the case. I love you so much," he said, his voice thick with tears. "Do you want to go out for dinner somewhere? We can go to a nice, ritzy place, a shame to let these suits go to waste, right?"

"I'm sorry, Jonah, really, but after losing so much sleep for weeks, worrying about how this was going to go, all I really want to do tonight is sleep. Can I take a rain check?"

"Of course, hon, I realized how tired you were as you paced the hallway, unfortunately, this case was something that had to be done, the sooner the better. Come on, sweetheart, As soon as we get home we'll get you out of that monkey suit and put on your sleep pants and a tee shirt. You can really use the sleep," he said.

It wasn't really too far to get home, even though the sky was darkening. Seemingly against his own will, Daniel kept dozing off, only waking when the car came to a complete stop. "Shhh," Jonah said quietly, we're almost there, just rest for now," He brushed Daniel's hair off of his forehead at the next red light. He loved the silky feel of his boy's hair and the way the sun made it light up, giving Daniel the look of an angel.

Once they arrived, Jonah helped Daniel into the apartment house, pushed the button for the elevator, knowing that there was no way that he was going to be able to carry Dan up the stairs. He was grateful that the elevator wasn't full so that made his job easier He did as promised, helping Dan out of his suit and putting on his sleep clothes before tucking him in and giving him a kiss on his forehead.

Just as he was about to leave, he realized that something was holding him back. He looked around and saw that Daniel was gripping his jacket. "Don't go," he whispered, "Stay with me, please? Just until I fall asleep?" Dan fairly begged.

"Oh, hon, just let me get changed and I'll be right back promise." 

Daniel was so tired that he couldn't even nod his head. Jonah knew that Dan would be asleep in no time, so he figured he'd just wait it out, then go downstairs to get someting to eat, and maybe watch a movie. His eyes burned, so he closed them for just a minute. Then he was sound asleep as well.


	32. Oh no! Not here again!

Chapter 32 : Oh, not this place again!

After days of overcast skies, and insane wind, the two men had the day off and were happy to stay home. It was nice, uneventful, and quiet, just the way they liked it after the rushing and stress of the week. Even though it didn't need it, Daniel had begun one of his usual cleaning sprees, telling Jonah that he was fine, whenever Jonah offered to help. Again, Daniel politely told Jonah that he was fine and that he had things under control. What Dan would never tell his husband was that he felt that Jonah, despite his offers, would just get in the way, and he preferred to do it himself.

"If you're sure?" Jonah asked, concerned, "We can always go out for a long walk in the park, feed the ducks, and geese around the lake..."

Dan smiled and replied that he was grateful for the offer, but he really didn't need any help and suggested that they go later. He was relieved when Jonah sighed and said, "If you change your mind, I'll be available."

Just as he sat down, the phone rang. It was Jonah's father, and the two men spent nearly forty-five minutes, laughing, joking, and catching up with each other since they hadn't seen each other for a while. He had just hung up the phone when their doorbell rang. Looking curiously at each other, Jonah opened the door a little, "Good morning," he said, a little concerned for Daniel's sake, "can I help you?"

"My name is Steven Donaldson, attorney. Is this the residence of Mr. Daniel Johnson-McIntyre?" he asked.

Jonah saw Dan stiffen up, and then run upstairs to their bedroom. Ever since that mess with the paternity court, he'd been afraid to pick up the mail for fear that he'd be summoned back to court for some other reason. His experiences with the police in the past had been frightening and intimidating, as a result, he didn't trust them. Jonah became concerned by his young husband's reaction.

"May I ask what it's about?"

"I was Mr. Morris Johnson's lawyer, and I've come to discuss a private matter with Mr. Daniel Johnson-McIntye," the man said, holding out a business card for Jonah to read.

"Please come in," Jonah said politely as he opened the door wider to allow Mr. Donaldson to enter.

Donaldson entered the kitchen/living room and smiled at Jonah. He had heard Daniel run none too quietly to a place unknown to him.

In the bedroom, Daniel listened as much as he could through the door. It was closed, and locked, a sure sign that Daniel was more than afraid. It looked like any other lock, Dan had admitted when they'd first installed but it was possible to unlock it with a coin from the outside as well, in case of an emergency.

"I'm his husband," Jonah replied, speaking quietly, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Finally, Mr. Donaldson understood and replied in a friendly tone, "I'm afraid that I must speak with Mr. Daniel Johnson-McIntyre." 

Jonah nodded in understanding, "Please have a seat, Mr. Donaldson," Jonah said, awkwardly. He wasn't sure how to address the attorney, "I'll bring Daniel down in just a few minutes. Can I get you something to drink in the meantime?"

Donaldson smiled and shook his head, "Thank you for the offer, Mr. McIntyre, I'm fine for now." The attorney, while he waited, had noticed that there were only two chairs at the small table. It made sense, he thought, for newlyweds, but it did look a little lonely, in his opinion. Then again, he mentally yelled at himself for comparing his own chaotic house filled with a lovely wife, and four children, one of whom was still an infant, to the apartment of newlyweds.

Jonah nodded, gestured to the couch in the living room, and went upstairs toward the bedroom, when he felt that the lock was engaged, unlike others might have done, rather than unlock the door and demand that Daniel come out, Jonah began speaking softly as he told Daniel what was going on. 

"Are you sure?" Daniel whispered back, "are you sure that he's not just waiting out there to serve me papers for something else this time?"

Jonah smiled with affection even though there was no way that Daniel could see it. "It's alright, hon, he seems to be legitimate."

"If he's not... what do we do?"

"Whatever we need to, hon. Are you coming out now?"

There was silence on the other side of the door, and then a faint click as the indoor lock was turned, as quietly as possible. Daniel was visibly shaking with nerves, so Jonah wrapped his arm around Dan's shoulders and held him close. "There's nothing that can come up that we can't face together," Jonah said gently. He knew that it sounded a bit hokey, but it seemed to relax his husband a little.

Daniel nodded, took a few deep breaths to calm himself down before he tightly gripped Jonah's hand, allowing him to lead the way back to Mr. Donaldson, who extended his hand to shake. Daniel checked it first for an envelope, seeing none he, even though he was still uncomfortable touching or being touched by other people, proceeded to shake the lawyer's hand before sitting on the overstuffed chair on the other side of the room. 

The lawyer shook his head slightly to get the memory of his family out of his mind for the time being. "Mr. Daniel Johnson-McIntyre?"

"Yes," he replied, still nervous, clenching his fists tightly.

"Mr...." the lawyer began.

"Please, call me Daniel," the young man said, quietly, trying to focus on the new man, and failing. He had gotten used to looking Jonah and his immediate family straight in the eye, but he still became nervous around strangers. "if you call me by my whole name we'll be here til sunset."

The corners of Donaldson's lips tilted up a bit. He liked these gentlemen quite a bit even after only knowing them for a short time.

"Very well mister... I mean, Daniel, according to the last will and testament of Mr. Morris Johnson, your grandfather, the property on 226 Carver Street had been bequeathed to your father, who asked that the land and house go to you and your husband. He stated that the two of you were in the process of looking for a house... Daniel."

Daniel looked confused, "Why didn't dad call me?" he asked, more to himself than the men beside him.

"He said that he wanted to make it a surprise for you and that he'd call you later today. Otherwise, you're welcome to call him. Your grandfather had left the house and land to your father in his will though he acknowledged that the house hadn't been used since 1910, and is most likely in need of repairs. Mr. Morris Johnson had also left the sum of two hundred thousand dollars to use either for repairs to the house or to use as you see fit. The house and the property are yours outright, no mortgage, and only the land taxes to deal with, which are surprisingly low considering that it is a large expanse of lawn front and back."

Daniel still looked skeptical, "Two hundred thousand... " Daniel said, "If it's alright can we please see what the house looks like?"

"Well," the lawyer hedged a bit, "It was built in 1901 and no one has lived in it since 1910, so it will need a lot of work. It's a bit... run down from disuse."

"So... the house and property... why hasn't it been used in so long?" Daniel asked.

Mr. Donaldson cleared his throat and tugged a little at his tie as though it was suddenly very tight. "You see, the last tenants had claimed to have seen ghosts, and they didn't feel comfortable in the house. Your grandfather bought the land, and the house, for next to nothing. The price was quite low by our standards, and he had left it to your father," Donaldson repeated."

Daniel laughed, part nerves, and part curiosity. He bit his lower lip, waiting for the attorney to tell them that it was some kind of a joke. "A possibly haunted house," he said, "Free and clear. I don't understand... "

"I'll be more than happy to bring you there if you like, but please understand that it has been standing vacant for many years, and will definitely need fixing up."

Jonah looked at Daniel and slightly nodded his head, a sign that he would be there if Daniel wanted to look at it.

"That would be nice, I guess," Daniel replied still a bit nervous.

"Very good then, whenever you're ready we can take the drive out in my car if that's alright with you? The house is set back a ways from the road and has a hidden driveway so it's easy to miss."

Dan and Jonah took their windbreakers, despite the sun. They had no idea what the weather would be later on if they took the time to really have a good look around. It had turned into a nice day after all, and the only thing they had been worried about was the crazy wind. New England weather was unpredictable, sunny and warm one day, quickly changing back to flurries and overcast skies that they'd been putting up with for several days.

The two men got into Donaldson's car who had driven for about thirty minutes before making a sharp turn onto a gravel road. The only indication that there was a house there was the old, faded black, worn-out mailbox with the street and house number on it, the opening appeared to be rusted shut.

As they got closer and closer to the house, Dan's face turned paler than normal and shook his head.

"No," he said breathlessly, "No, no, no, no, no."

"Dan? What's wrong?" Jokingly he added with a smile, "Did you see a ghost?"

"This the house we nearly died in," Daniel breathed, "I didn't know back then... but I remember it. It was the only house for miles, and that's where I brought you to keep you warm.. to keep us warm," he amended. "There was a lot of broken furniture, and black mold behind the baseboards... musty smelling... it was a wreck... is a wreck. It's just..." he commented, dismayed. "How can anyone live in a mess like this? I mean, I know that Dad wouldn't have given me this house if he'd known the state of it! Unless he's still angry at me for not helping in our house for all of those years. All of that laziness," Dan started laughing like a mad man and said, "When I was a kid my house was never messy, due mostly because of my mom, because no one else ever helped her, especially not me. Maybe this is God telling me I've earned it tenfold, just like my mother always said."

Jonah laughed and hugged his husband, "No, hon, you inherited a wonderful house. You didn't inherit a moldy mess, your dad did." Jonah said in an attempt to lighten the mood, "This was just a happy coincidence. This house needs a lot of work, sure, but it's your musty, moldy old house, and considering how old it is, I'm surprised that anyone is allowed to live here."

"What do you mean?" Dan wondered aloud.

"This house is over 100 years old. It's a landmark, or it would be if it wasn't so run down. And as Mr. Donaldson told us, it's been neglected since 1910 when the last owners were here. I can't believe that anyone would let this place go to ruin," he said sadly.

"Let's look around inside, Ok, Jonah? I was only ever on the first floor with you," Daniel suggested, "There has to be something salvageable here, don't you think?"

Jonah hugged his husband tightly and felt Daniel do the same to him, giving his husband a bear hug and a kiss to his chin. 

"I don't know what I'd do without you, you know that?" he asked lovingly.

"Same to you," Daniel replied with a smile as the two of them explored the house. Daniel exclaimed over the stained glass windows that adorned the house with flashes of rainbow light. He looked forward to check the upstairs.

"We'd better not go further, Dan," Jonah said quietly, "It's a really nice house once we get rid of the mold and such, but I'm not sure that I trust these floorboards, at least the ones under me."

Daniel looked at his husband and his eyebrows furrowed. Jonah wasn't a heavy man, not like he was, he was just well built, and tall, and he said as much. "And I don't know where you get the idea that you don't have a lot of hair. You would if you let it grow out a bit, don't you think?"

Jonah laughed in a way that he knew Daniel wouldn't take personally, "You're adorable, do you know that?"

Daniel scowled as he looked up at his husband, "I am NOT adorable. Kittens are adorable, puppies are adorable. I'm not a kitten or a puppy."

Before Jonah could answer, he heard the sharp noise before he saw it, He had looked out of the nearest window and saw that his instincts were on the money as usual, "Hon, the sky is getting darker, and the is wind picking up. We may as well get back to Mr. Donaldson and have him drive us back. We can come again tomorrow, and every weekend until we have the place clean as a whistle."

"Sure, I guess," Daniel said hesitantly.

"I promise, we will come here on the weekends, weather permitting. I might be able to bribe some of my crew to come and help," he said in a comforting tone.

With that news, Daniel cheered up a little. Mike and Gerry were the tallest and biggest of the bunch, he knew that everyone who decided to come and help would put their hearts and souls into the project. He smiled despite their earlier issue with the word adorable. Then like a wind blowing out a candle, Daniel's expression was one of confusion.

"Jonah?" Dan asked hesitantly.

"What's up, Dan?" Jonah replied, worried about his Daniel.

"Um... what does clean as a whistle mean?"

__________________________________________________________________

As expected, before they could take a broom to the mess, Daniel was sent a letter from the Register of Wills. He immediately paled as he brought the letter to Jonah to read. "I'm too nervous to open this alone. Read it please?"

The more Jonah read, the more his eyebrows furrowed, and he began to grind his teeth a little, something he had thought he'd stopped doing years ago. He told his husband what the letter said, but either Daniel didn't get it, or he got it and he was as furious about it as Jonah was. When Dan called his father, he found that Seb had received the same letter. "At least we'll be there together," Sebastian said in a cheery tone, as his stomach tied itself into knots.

Mr. Donaldson had agreed to be the attorney for the Johnsons, but it had still taken months until things had begun to settle down a bit. Morris' other children and grandchildren began to file suit after suit against not only Seb, but to Daniel as well on the grounds that the old man had been senile, claiming that he and Seb had only met a few times when Sebastian, and Morris, had met only a few times when he'd been a toddler just out of diapers, so Seb had no claim to the land, it shouldn't have been deeded to him in the first place, therefore neither Seb nor Daniel had any rights to the land or the house.

After adjourning to his chambers, and rereading the will, he spoke at great length to Mr. Donaldson, who had drafted Morris Johnson's will in person. The Judge determined that the will was legitimate, and iron-clad, proving that Mr. Morris Johnson had been definitely sound of mind. The Bailiff had been sent to retrieve the large group of complainants, then threw the suits out of court. He had spoken to the other family members, reminding them that they had been deeded a large sum of money to each grandchild and other properties to his own children which had been in much better condition. The judge then nearly exploded as he told the family members off. 

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves for filing anything in mine, or any other court! This is despicable!" He had said angrily. "I promise all of you, that if any of you  
try to sue either of the men again, either individually or as a group, you will be held in contempt, and put in jail for however long it takes you all to grow up and stop acting like spoiled children fighting over a toy. This case is dismissed and closed with prejudice, meaning that you will not be able to try to sue them again, in any court, or there will be consequences. The other children and grandchildren were escorted out of the courtroom before Daniel, but not without shooting him

After that unnerving fiasco, Daniel had received the deeds to the house and lands, and he and Jonah had finally been approved for the work permits, giving them the right to begin renovations. Jonah was a little bit worried about installing the gas, and other utilities which they'd have to hire out. Everything would have to be up to code. He loved the house already, but he hated the thought that they might fail the examination by the building inspector. He would either have to rehire the company to rewire the electricity, or pay more for a different one, and the men and women who had worked so hard on the plumbing, and the installation of a kitchen sink, and real bathrooms with running hot and cold water. He didn't say anything about it to Dan though, no sense getting his husband worried as well.

The next weekend, the two men went to the local hardware store and had bought some masks with masks, face shields, and coveralls to avoid breathing, or wearing any of the toxic molds, spoors of which were even now seen very clearly in the light of day.

As they cleaned, Daniel had been captivated by the makeover and grinned as Sasha, admittedly a little on the small side had taken a picture of him before he went back upstairs to what had been the servants quarters when he noticed the narrow door that he'd missed the first time around since it was nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the wall. He decided to do a little more exploring and gently opened it, waving the plume of dust that hadn't been cleaned for many a year. Ignoring the loud squeak, for the time being, he walked into a little room that had lain out of sight. There were a desk and chair in the room, a bird's feather in a little jar of dried black stuff.

After he'd tripped over the warped board for the third time, he decided to see if there was any way to fix it, or, he wondered if the floors up here need to be redone as well. He tore the plank up and was surprised and pleased to see a little, rusted box. Even though it had been locked, time and weather had left it rusted. He felt inside the hole to see if there had been anything else in there, and was shocked to find gold coins that looked like they'd still be worth something, since they were so old, he guessed that they might have been worth more now than they had been back in 1910. Nodding to himself, he unwrapped the item that lay, folded in layers of cloth, and put it on the desk so that he could read it. He was sorely disappointed when he found that he could only make out a few words. The rest looked like gibberish. As he sat there, he was overcome by a feeling of deep sadness, a sadness that just seemed to weigh in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

He walked slowly down the stairs, holding the notebook, and the letters that had been hidden inside. He wished he could read them.

As soon as he reached the first floor, where most of the renovations were still needed the most.

Daniel didn't say anything, only nodded his head slightly toward the front door. 

"Guys, I have something to take care of, can you handle things by yourselves for a little while?" he asked with a wink.

"Oh," Mike responded in a long-suffering tone, "We're used to you disappearing during the day and coming back whenever, what's the difference now."

At Dan's stunned expression, Mike said, quickly, "Just joking, Dan, honestly. We sometimes have to use a crowbar to pry him away from work to even take a break."

Daniel blinked once before walking silently out of the front door.

"If I get into trouble for that..." Jonah warned. He tried to hold back a smile but was unsuccessful. Instead, he shook his head and followed his husband.

It was only when they were a safe distance from the house did Daniel stop, though he remained silent.

"What's wrong, Dan?" Jonah asked in a worried tone.

"I found something in the baby's room," he said quietly.

"Baby... what?"

"The book was in the little room beside the nursery," Daniel said, getting a little perturbed that Jonah didn't seem to remember the old crib and toys.

"Door?" Jonah asked, a little stunned.

"Am I speaking Greek here?" Dan had said with a little bit of fire in his tone.

"Watch it, little boy," Jonah warned.

"Fine," Dan huffed, "I found these in the little room. They were under a warped floorboard."

"What are they?"

"A couple of books, and some letters, but I can't read most of them. They're all in cursive, but the words... the way they're written, are all so... curly... I could only make out a couple of words here and there."

"Curly... you mean cursive?"

"Well, yeah, and that... well, you'll have to read them yourself. Like I said, I didn't get much from reading them," Dan replied, allowing more tears to fall before he wiped them away angrily. He hated to cry in front of anyone, even if it was Jonah.

"Hey, hon... it's alright. I'll read the books after everyone is gone, ok?"

Dan nodded his head and took off the mask and gloves that he'd been wearing, nearly laughing at the ring of dust and dirt that had accumulated on his sleeves.

____________________________________________________________

On another bright and sunny Saturday morning, reminding them both of the days that Daniel had gotten the news from Mr. Donaldson, Jonah and Daniel had driven to the house, to be surprised by six of his employees standing by, or lounging on the front steps, such as they were, with smiles and toolboxes in hand. "Henry would have made it," Mikah had explained, "But he's busy with his wife and the newest baby. He's a boy, 6 pounds, 8 ounces, and 22" long.

"Wow," Daniel had said in a tone of admiration, "That sounds like one tall baby!"

"Eh, he's a good size too. Six pounds isn't anything to sneeze at," Enzio had chimed in.

Daniel gave a pleased smile that the baby was healthy. He looked forward to meeting him. Agreeing with Enzio, he began asking each person to work on one part of the house at a time, but to start as a group on the foyer which included a chandelier with only three crystals missing, the rest were beautifully still intact. There had been a small argument as to who would get to take the crystals down, clean the large fixture, and the crystals, before putting it back up. Mikah and Mick had a rock, paper, scissors contest, best out of three. Mike won, leaving Mikah fuming. He'd lost fair and square, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

Time seemed to drag, and the house never seemed to be clean enough. After the floor on the main level was done, Dan stayed behind to give it a good sweeping, mopping and polishing, even with the two of them, and six of Jonah's crew working every weekend, and Jonah's blatant offer of free meals, Daniel was sure, might have had a large part to play in their willingness to stay. While the others worked quickly and professionally, Dan felt as though he were in the way as the men and women from the cafe, were more than happy to pitch in and got straight to work. Feeling like somewhat of a fifth wheel, he began to work on the upstairs, which was dusty and dirty, but for some reason didn't seem quite as run down as the rest of the house.

He was fascinated by the placement of the doors. All of the rooms seemed to be accessible from one to the other as well as into the corridor. He walked around a bit, gazing with wonder as he saw more of the large stained glass windows. He'd been so enamored of them that he lost track of the time. He threw himself back into his usual cleaning spree, while he was in the middle of clearing cobwebs, and the dust on the door jams, he noticed a narrow door in what he assumed would have been a nursery, and he dropped everything else to pry it open. Inside was a mess. More musty, moldy furniture, he was delighted to find a wooden chair and a desk, still in mostly good condition. He wondered though, how the furniture could have fit through that narrow opening. 

He decided that it was alright if he stopped cleaning for just a few minutes to explore, no one would get mad. He adjusted his face mask and the funny-looking shower cap... at least that's what he'd called it when had Jonah bought a few. "You'll be happy that I'm buying them when the time comes," he'd joked, " besides the dust and mold, we'll most likely have to deal with spiders, and we don't want those falling into our hair... what there is of it," he'd laughed, running his hands over his own short hair.

Daniel had shuddered at the thought of spiders. He hated the things. After seeing a movie that had a scene with ravenous, giant, spiders, he hated them even more. It was only after Jonah had promised that there wouldn't be giant spiders anywhere in the house, that he relaxed enough to tackle the upstairs rooms.

Taking a deep breath, as much as he could get under the face mask and shield, he walked around on the creaky floorboards. As he walked slowly, he could hear them creaking. They were definitely in need of repair as the boards were loose, and he kept tripping on one particular plank that stuck up more than the rest. Curious, he knelt down, pulled the board up with no real effort, and looked inside, fearing spiders but not worried about mice. He liked mice just fine and would have loved to have some as pets. Jonah had quickly told Dan that he wasn't to 'adopt' any mice as pets

'They're still wild creatures,' Jonah had said, his voice conveying that the conversation was done. Despite Daniel's resulting pout, Jonah had pulled his young husband into a huge hug and promised that, if Daniel really wanted mice as pets, they could go to a pet store and get a few.

Dan had finally agreed, but still voiced his concern over the wild mice that had obviously made this house their home. Little by little though, he saw fewer and fewer, but just figured that they'd run from all of the construction going on. The entire upstairs looked almost as nice, he thought, as it had when people had still lived in it. Had still felt bad when he'd had to get rid of the old musty and moldy toys, and the tattered and decaying crib that was still in what he knew had been the nursery.

Soon, Daniel forgot all about the mice and looked around the rooms he'd been cleaning. They looked much better although it would still have to be hooked up to electricity, gas, and running water, as well as proper bathrooms, installed. Jonah hadn't voiced his concerns to anyone, but Daniel knew him well enough to know that something was wrong, but he also knew that Jonah would tell him when he was ready.

He grimaced again as he thought of using the outhouse, and the... thing, something Jonah had referred to as water closet although there was no real water except whatever was in the... thing... indoors, just in case someone woke up on a cold, winter night and didn't want to go outside in the freezing weather to use the outhouse, but Dan and Jonah both shuddered at the thought of sitting there for any reason.

He was thrilled when the plumbers and contractors had come to install running water, and build actual bathrooms as well as installing new sinks with hot and cold running water, rather than the pump that had been in the kitchen. He had tried to make it work at first, but instead of water, it had belched out a thick, brown sludge, staining the already heavily stained and rusted sink. He'd held his nose and backed away from it as though he worried that the sludge would come to life. He'd also seen something like that in a movie and had no more desire to be absorbed by a blob, than devoured by giant spiders.

Sasha, who at 5'3, had been working as hard, if not harder than the men, had fallen from the ladder she'd been working on. Mike had caught her, and even though she insisted that she was fine, Mike insisted that she had to be rushed to the hospital. When they arrived back at the house a few hours later, Mike looked pleased, and Sasha looked happy if a bit dazed. Without argument, she had agreed to take pictures of the renovations, as well as some candid conversations about how people felt about doing so much work on the house. She had let him hear, and see most of them, and was pleased and touched when they had grinned and said, 'Anything for Dan!' except for Enzio, who thought it would be funny to say that Jonah had threatened to fire the lot of them if they didn't help. 

Daniel had been nearby and wasn't sure how he felt about Enzio's 'joke'. Sasha, who couldn't overlook what the man had said, was heard growling as she put the camera down deliberately, went over to Enzio, and kicked him in the shin. One thing that everyone got a good laugh at later was Enzio because while the picture was only of grass and dirt, the audio had still been recording. She had still had the camera recording, and at lunchtime, she'd shown the 'story so far, they had heard the sound of a muffled thunk, and then someone crying out, 'Ow! I was just joking! Sheesh!' followed closely by 5'3" Sasha tearing the 5'8" Enzio a new one.

Jonah, a man of his word, had gotten the outdoor pump working, and had already gotten the grill set up for lunch. He had picked up the pizzas earlier, figuring that they could be reheated... at least somewhat... by the slice or by the half, on the upper level where food was always put to stay hot without burning it to cinderblock consistency. Judging by the happy smiles on their faces, with delight at finally being clean again, at least for the time being. There was still a good amount of work to do, and the promise of a free, and full, fresh lunch each weekend.

They had all laughed when they saw the final cut of the 'documentary', even Enzio had the grace to look embarrassed by his poor attempt at a joke. They were treated to stills, and video, chronicling the transformation of the house, inside and out. From dusty, musty, and moldy to a house that looked as though it had come right out of a magazine. Daniel bit his full, lower lip a little when the clip of Enzio opening his big mouth came up.

"Ah, jeez, Sash! Why did you leave that bit in!?" he complained before turning to Daniel with an apologetic expression. "It really was just a joke, Dan," Enzio practically begged, "It was really meant as a joke.

Daniel had given the man a stiff smile and nodded. Sure, Enzio had apologized, but he was still hurt that he'd said it at all.

One particularly beautiful day at lunchtime, with everyone sitting comfortably at the large picnic table that the two men had bought, Daniel was feeling a bit playful, so he picked up the roll of paper towel that everyone had been saving to clean off the picnic table, and jabbed it gently at Jonah, saying, " I got you!" 

Jonah smiled and said, "Cut it out."

Daniel did it a second time saying, in a strange voice, high, nasal voice, "I got you!"

"Cut it out, Dan," Jonah had said again

Again, Dan poked at Jonah with the roll and said, "I GOT you!" and Jonah, in a more stern tone, said, "I told you to stop it, Dan. Stop it. Now."

Daniel did it one more time and Jonah snatched the rollout of Dan's hand with a disapproving expression, after which the group had gone back to eating, talking, laughing, and joking with each other, when Jonah picked up the bottle of ketchup and aimed it at Daniel, who looked at Jonah with wide eyes, which quickly turned to one of anger. Or it would have been an angry expression if he was capable of looking at anyone like that.

Jonah laughed and apologized profusely through his hearty laughter. "I'm sorry honey, but that look just doesn't fit you. Your face is just too... sweet to carry it off."

"Hey, I've been thinking about this for a while..."

"What's that," Sasha asked, then immediately regretted it as she remembered Dan's puns and jokes, and that she'd opened the door for another one. The group sighed as a whole and put their food down, waiting for the joke and the crazy punch lines that he would come out with, which only meant something to him before laughing at it.

This time, though, he said thoughtfully, "I've been considering kidnapping the lot of you, making you stay here and build the house over and over until it's like the Winchester House. What do you think?"

The group at the table went quiet and stared at Dan who looked entirely serious.

Jonah's eyes had gone wide and he shook his head slightly as though his ears weren't working properly.

"Why so serious?" Dan said with a grin, "It was just a joke."

Jonah got up with a chuckle and hugged Daniel tightly, "You have the weirdest sense of humor I've ever heard," he said aloud, "But," he said in a whisper, "You're going to get it when we get home."

Knowing that they weren't entirely done, it took another few weeks for the group and the contractors to finish up cleaning the house, checking every bathroom, and light fixture before the inspector arrived.

Everyone was pleased. Some jumped with excitement, or pumped their fists into the air, with a loud cheer. The inspector had smiled in understanding before wishing the men and women the best of luck, returned to his car, and drove away over the fresh, white, and blue gravel where the black and brown had been. With the new colors, it was now possible to see which driveway to go down to get to the house. Enzio had even surprised the two men by installing a new, solid mailbox at the entrance, also painted blue to go with the new gravel. He'd been worried that the mailbox might make the house more inviting than it might otherwise be, but Jonah and Daniel both were pleased and thanked Enzio several times.

Jonah, with a pleased expression on his face, invited them all over for a housewarming. "Don't worry, guys, we just want your company, not gifts, you've all given us more than we could have asked."

The gang agreed with wide smiles and went home to get some rest before the workweek began.

Two weeks later, the day of the housewarming, began the first heatwave. Everyone brought their favorite dishes so that Dan and Jonah didn't have to do all the work themselves. 

"Thank you all! Come on into the backyard. We have a surprise for you."

Everyone became excited when they saw a large pool full of cool, clear water.

"Oh, man! if you'd told us we could have brought our bathing suits," Sasha complained.

"You can skinny dip, I won't care," Mike said nonchalantly, causing the others to laugh... except for Sasha.

"Everyone in!" Jonah ordered, "No bathing suits required!" At that the crew slipped off their sneakers and sandals and jumped one after the other into the pool, splashing and play fighting over the many floats that bobbed on the water.

"Eat, play, have fun!" Daniel announced. "We have something fun planned for tonight, so don't leave early or fall asleep on us." he joked.

The entire crew, even Henry, his wife, and his brood had been invited. Henry looked gratefully at the two men and followed his friends into the water, taking the baby from his wife to dip into the water. 

When night fell, and everyone was resting, Jonah disappeared.

"Hey, wasn't it you two who told us not to leave early or fall asleep," Gerry complained, "Where did Jonah get off to?"

"Just take the baby inside, or hold him tight, the surprise is loud and might scare him," Dan replied.

"Well, that answers all of our questions... now what..." was as far as Gerry got before the first of the fireworks was set off. Everyone oohhh'd' and ahhh'd over them. They were beautiful, and even the baby was too entranced by the colors to cry.

It was a beautiful end to a wonderful day. 

TBC

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading my Angelo and Amadeo. I hope that you enjoy Daniel and Jonah just as much as I do.
> 
> Reminder: This story is fictional. Although the main character has Asperger's Syndrome he is high functioning, and due to the way his mother and father raised him, he is more (but not completely) comfortable with crowds of people. He is distrustful of the police, and due to bad experiences in the past has caused PTSD.
> 
> The story will eventually include the consensual spanking of an adult. This will not be an abusive relationship. I don't believe in abuse, but even 'Daniel' agrees that spanking isn't abuse.
> 
> Hoping to hear from you. :D
> 
> Snarks


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